MANILA, Philippines – Emotions ran high in Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s 106-103 Game 3 win against the TNT KaTropa on Friday, October 6 as Ginebra governor Alfrancis Chua and TNT coach Nash Racela exchanged harsh words on their way to the locker rooms during the halftime break.

Chua and Racela had to be separated by cooler heads from both sides after they figured in a verbal altercation along the hallway at Smart-Araneta Coliseum but Ginebra coach Tim Cone insisted Chua “is his own man.”

“He’s doing what he’s thinking is right for the team and he has his own style which is fantastic for me,” said Cone after his team secured a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five semis series.

Cone added that he does not want to meddle with Chua’s business since “he’s the boss.”

“I’m not gonna tell him what to do. I’m not gonna say anything to him,” the multi-title coach said. “He does not need a babysitter or anything like that, he takes care of himself and he’s the boss.”

Ginebra has the chance to close the series when they face the KaTropa in Game 4 on Sunday, October 8, at the same venue but Cone does not want his wards to let their guard down.

“I’m very pleased but the job isn’t done yet and we still got a lot to work.” – Rappler.com