Rookie Will McAloney could not fully celebrate NLEX Road Warriors’ second win, which came at the expense of league-leader TNT Tropang GIGA.
The gentle giant from Cebu felt bad about the foul he committed against Bobby Ray Parks, Jr.
“Hindi ko po sadya ‘yun,” the 26-year-old burly big man told Tiebreaker Times.
“Hindi po ako ganung klaseng player.”
The incident happened with 4:54 left in the third canto.
Parks received a pass at the elbow then drove full force to the basket. The speed of the 6-foot-4 Parks caught the 6-foot-5 McAloney by surprise, and he was unable to move out of the way or even try to save the Tropang Giga guard from a hard fall.
“I-bloblock ko po sana pero nasa ere na pala, kaya nakatayo na lang ako. Wala na po ako magawa nun,” recalled McAloney, who was assessed a flagrant foul one.
Things turned heated afterward.
Jayson Castro tried to confront McAloney, with Kiefer Ravena later pacifying him.
A commotion at center court took place when Yeng Guiao and TNT veteran Jay Washington began exchanging words.
Because of how things went, McAloney could not apologize to Parks, only able to do so at Quest Hotel.
“Ang plano ko po is lalapitan ko po siya dito sa hotel at hihingi po ako ng pasensya kasi hindi ko po talaga sadya ;yung nangyari. Kanina hindi ko po siya malapitan kasi mainit pa lahat.”
NLEX eventually got a 109-98 win — their most impressive outing thus far inside the PBA Bubble.
McAloney, who had 14 points in their game against Phoenix, followed it up with a six-point, three-rebound outing.
And he feels motivated to do more for Guiao after seeing his mentor defend him from TNT.
“Sabi nga sa akin ng kapwa kong player na ipaglalaban ka ni Coach Yeng,” he expressed.
“Alam din ni coach na hindi ako dirty player kaya alam po niya na hindi ko po sadya ‘yun.”
