Rosser, Ibanes, Quinahan get fines over Game 4 fight

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Office handed out punishments on Thursday, April 23, for the skirmish that transpired in game four of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals between the Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

Fines were given to Talk ’N Text’s Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and Rain or Shine’s Jireh Ibanes and JR Quinahan, who also received a suspension for his antics.

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“I think it will escalate if they allow it to escalate…the refs are supposed to control the game and protect the players,” Guiao said.

Here’s the PBA’s official statement:

“The Office of the Commissioner is hereby affirming the flagrant fouls called in the 9:47 mark of the fourth quarter of game 4 on Talk N’ Text’s Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and Rain or Shine’s Jireh Ibanes and JR Quinahan.

For excessive and protracted, holding, grabbing, shoving and pushing Rosser and Ibanes are hereby fined the amount of forty thousand pesos (P 40,000.00) each for the Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 assessed against them.

For throwing the ball at the face of Rosser after Rosser and Ibanes have already disentangled, Quinahan is hereby fined the amount of forty thousand pesos (P 40,000.00) and suspended for one game for the Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 act.

This Office considers the act of hitting an opponent with the basketball as a highly-provocative and treacherous act. It is not unlike throwing a punch without warning and worse, without the attendant risk of retaliation. We did not find this factual condition in the incident involving Rosser and Ibanes.

Additionally, Quinahan took a fighting stance immediately after throwing the ball at Rosser for which he is fined the additional sum of ten thousand pesos (P 10,000.00).

This Office notes the propensity of players from both teams to engage in unnecessary off-the-ball grappling/jostling, extra motions and trash talking.

These non-basketball moves and actuations will be called. As we remind both teams that the responsibility of playing the game on its merits ultimately rests on them, the game officials have been directed to take the appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of these incidents.”

Talk ’N Text won game four thanks to the combined 58 points from Jayson Castro and Ranidel De Ocampo. Wayne Chism, Rain or Shine’s import, was hounded by foul trouble while Paul Lee was inconsistent from the field in their team’s loss.

The Tropang Texters and Elasto Painters are currently tied at 2-2. Game 5 is on Friday, April 24. – Rappler.com