The GlobalPort Batang Pier vs Rain or Shine Elasto Painters bout on Sunday night could arguably be the most tension-filled game so far in the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup. And it’s safe to say that it all started when Chris Tiu got hit by Malcolm White.
The 32-year-old point guard was on the receiving end of an inadvertent arm swing to the mouth from the 6-foot-9 White, as the latter was positioning for a rebound. The hit was so bad that Tiu spewed blood on the floor.
White was apologetic after that incident. But even if he had already expressed regret, that event did not sit well with Tiu’s teammates.
One of those who has yet to forgive the import is, unsurprisingly, Raymond Almazan. So much so that even if the match only had 40 seconds left to play, the 6-foot-8 forward sent White a message through a hard pick.
Both men had a brief exchange after that, and Almazan was then slapped with a flagrant foul penalty one. But that did not matter anymore, as Almazan and the Elasto Painters went home with the 96-90 victory and the number one seed.
“Part of the game yun. Siyempre, ‘di naman namin pababayaan yung teammate namin na ganunin niya lang,” asserted Almazan, who finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.
“Tsaka respetuhin naman niya liga natin.”
Of that altercation, what truly stood out was Almazan’s taunt towards White, conveying a message as if the latter has a foul odor. The five-year pro, however, said that there was nothing personal whatsoever with his taunt.
“Wala, pang-inis lang sa kanya yun kasi patalo na sila. So… Nasa kanya na yun,” said Almazan with a chuckle.
