The heated rivalry between the San Beda Red Lions and the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights took a turn for the worse Friday afternoon.
With the game out of reach and with just seven seconds remaining, Letran’s Bong Quinto was assessed an offensive foul after an elbow hitting San Beda’s Joe Presbitero square on the jaw. This almost instigated a bench clearing brawl among the two bitter rivals.
“Nung pagkatira ni Quinto, sumiko siya tapos nagkagulo na,” fifth year center Junjun Bonsubre said. “Nagtakbuhan kami para awatin. Galit sila kaya sinugod nila kami.”
Fortunately, the referees and the arena security were able to control the situation from escalating. However, as the final buzzer sounded, Luib, who had been assessed an unsportsmanlike foul earlier in the third frame against Bonsubre, confronted his fellow Cagayan de Oro-teammate and the two had to be separated.
“Nagulat ako na binangga niya ako,” Bonsubre shared about the shove Luib gave him with 4:02 remaining in the third frame.
“Di ko naman inaasahan yun kasi teammate ko siya sa Cagayan de Oro.”
However, Luib, who was fuming all throughout the game, said that he was “choked” by Bonsubre after the game that made him furious.
“SA NC wala naman akong record na magulo e, nagulat nalang ako na may sumasakal sa akin. Sinabihan ko siya, ‘Bakit mo ako sinasakal?,” the 5’10 Letran point guard shared.
“Hindi lang ako makalapit kasi mahaba yung kamay niya. Sabi ko sa kanya yung last na, ‘bakit mo ko sinasakal,’ umaawat lang daw siya, pero hindi naman yun yung tamang pag-awat.”
The 6’5 big man shared that he was apologetic for any harm he had “accidentally” inflicted to his former teammate and even tried to reach-out to his friend on social media.
“Kanina, akala ko okay na after the game. Nag-sorry ako, di ko sinasadya,” the 22 year old lamented. “Ako na ang nag-sorry para okay na. Galit pa rin pala.”
“Nag-message na ako kay Mcjour sa Facebook. Nag-sorry ako at sabi ko, di ko sinasadya.”
Luib tried to look for Bonsubre in the dugout after the game, asking “nasaan si Junjun?” However, Bonsubre was still in their locker room during that time.
