MANILA, Philippines – Phoenix head coach Louie Alas expressed dissatisfaction on the flagrant foul penalty 1 called on San Miguel import Kevin Murphy after he put Calvin Abueva in a lengthy headlock.

Tempers flared with 4:11 minutes left in the 4th quarter as Murphy locked Abueva’s head between his arms and dragged him near the stands for about 10 seconds in the Beermen’s 117-100 win on Friday, October 12. 

The Fuel Masters mentor contested that Murphy should have been whistled for a flagrant foul penalty 2, which would have ejected him from the game. 

“Talagang sa akin F2 ‘yun, pare. That’s a choke. I don’t know kung ano ‘yung pinanood nila. Lahat nga nagte-text sa’kin, that’s a choke, lahat, sinakal talaga,” Alas told reporters. 

(That’s an F2. That’s a choke. I don’t know what they saw. Everybody texted me and told me that’s choke.) 

“Pero ganoon talaga e. Siguro kung sa’min nangyari ‘yun baka itatawag nila, kung ‘di import gumawa, itatawag nila. Pero that’s not right.”

(But it is what it is. If one of our players did that, they would have probably called a flagrant foul penalty 2. But that’s not right.) 

After the incident, Murphy was just forced to sit for 3 minutes as San Miguel still held on to their double-digit lead to snap a three-game skid. 

What made matters worse for the Fuel Masters, though, were the 3 technical fouls called on Alas, Doug Kramer and Phoenix team manager Paolo Bugia after they entered the court during the commotion. 

Alas also figured in a heated exchange with San Miguel governor Robert Non and assistant coach Biboy Ravanes. 

“Si gov, siya ‘yung nag-umpisa. Minumura niya kasi si Calvin. ‘Di naman pupuwede ‘yun. Kami, ‘di naman namin minumura player niya, aawatin lang namin pero ‘di namin mumurahin,” Alas said. 

(Gov started it. He was cursing at Calvin. That should not happen. We were not cursing at their player. We were only pacifying the situation but we didn’t curse at their players.)

“Tapos si Biboy, medyo… siguro wala ng kontrata ‘yun para ano, siya na lang daw. Sabi ko sige, okay lang sa’kin, anytime.”

(Then Biboy, I think he has no contract anymore so he wanted me to argue with him instead. I told him, that’s fine with me anytime.) 

Still, Alas buried the hatchet soon as the game ended but warned that no one should curse at his players. 

(Gov was there to shake hands after the game. It meant that it was just a spur of the moment. But if that happens again, if they curse at our players, we won’t allow that. Calvin was the one who got choked.) 

The Fuel Masters seek to secure their first quarterfinals berth against Rain or Shine on October 24 at the Cuneta Astrodome. – Rappler.com