Barangay Ginebra coach Jong Uichico, known as a mild-mannered gentleman inside the court, and two more players were meted a fine each by Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Atty. Chito Salud in separate incidents of the two play dates in the ongoing PBA Commissioner's Cup best-of-five series. On Monday, Salud slapped Uichico the heaviest fine of P30,000 for his rare public outburst during an interview before the start of the second period of Game 2 of the Gin Kings' semifinals encounter against the Pilipinas-Smart Gilas squad.
If there's one thing which surprised me, it's the trend on the physicality of the game every time Smart Gilas plays. How come a least fouling team like Smart Gilas always play in a physical game? It doesn't make sense.
– Jong Uichico, Ginebra coach
Uichico was also given a technical foul in each of the two games, which cost him an additional fine of P2,600.
Ginebra guard Mark Caguioa was also penalized for throwing his forearm on the nape of Gilas' Marcio Lassiter resulting to a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2. He was meted a P10,000 fine.
But Caguio was also assessed a P5,000 fine for tripping Gilas guard JV Casio in a separate incident.
Gilas' naturalized player Marcus Douthit was fined P10,000 for violating the landing spot rule resulting to a contact.
"We imposed the fine upon review of the game. I know this is the first time Coach Jong did such a thing and it's quite understandable that under such circumstances, it can happen, especially when the stakes are getting higher," said Salud in a telephone interview.
Uichico told GMA News he is still not aware of the fine impose don him by the PBA Commissioner's Office, but he admitted his mistake in his rare public outburst.
"I know there's a fine on what I did, but I am still not aware of it," said Uichico in a telephone interview. "But things like that happen and it happened in a spur of a moment because of the nature of the game."
"But if there's one thing which surprised me, it's the trend on the physicality of the game every time Smart Gilas plays," added Uichico. "How come a least fouling team like Smart Gilas always play in a physical game? It doesn't make sense."
The Gin Kings are just a win away from reaching the finals and they can close out the series and score a rare sweep in the race-to-three series with a win in Wednesday's Game 3. - GMA News
