PBA: Players, coaches react to Balkman's ban

Basketball fans quickly reacted to the shocking news that Petron Blaze Boosters import Renaldo Balkman had been banned from the PBA and fined P250k. [Related: Balkman banned from the PBA, fined P250k] Balkman last Friday acted wildly after failing to get a call, late in his side's 83-73 loss to the Alaska Aces. He first accosted the three referees, and then when his teammates came to calm him down, the former NBA first round draft pick of the New York Knicks shoved away Ronald Tubid and choked team captain Arwind Santos. League commissioner Chito Salud said that he took into consideration Balkman's past incidents, which included a head-butt in a FIBA Americas game, as well as an altercation in Cebu, during a preseason tournament, before before arriving on his decision. Petron, which managed a 5-2 record, including a five-game win streak, will now have to find a replacement for Balkman, and hope he can do just as good a job as the former New York Knick and Denver Nugget.