PBA: Yeng Guiao on late-game spat with Erick Arejola: 'I was trying to protect my players'

Yeng Guiao said that he simply leapt to the defense of his player during a verbal altercation with Erick Arejola late in the game between Rain or Shine and Magnolia on Saturday in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner's Cup.

The seasoned Elasto Painters head coach said that Arejola, who's serving as the Hotshots consultant, was trying to intimidate their import Jaylen Johnson.

This after Johnson threw down a one-handed slam to give Rain or Shine an 87–80 lead with 1:21 remaining in the fourth. His celebratory antics didn’t sit well with Arejola, who was later seen arguing with game officials after the timeout.

Johnson quickly apologized, but Guiao and Arejola got into a heated verbal exchange and had to be separated by referees and several team members. They were both called for technical fouls as the Elasto Painters hung tough to grind out a 91-82 win and improve to 8-1.

"I think after a timeout, paglingon ko sa court, Erick was in the face of my import and that’s all the way from their bench so iniisip ko paano siya nakarating nang hindi man lang siya pinigilan ng referees," Guiao said.

(I think after a timeout, when I turned around on the court, Erick was in the face of my import and that’s all the way from their bench so my thought was, how did he get all the way here without the referees stopping him.)

"Also, I was trying to protect my players because he was trying to intimidate my player. I had to do something."

Guiao said he was simply protecting his players and his team’s interests, something he believes Arejola would also do if the situation were reversed.

"So, ‘yun lang ‘yon. Magkakaibigan naman kami pero pagdating sa laro, kanya-kanyang protect tayo sa mga interests natin," Guiao added.

"Siguro gano’n din gagawin niya kung gano’n ginawa ko sa players niya. But, wala naman sa akin ‘yun."

(That was it. We're friends but when it comes to the games, we have to protect our own interests... I think he would do the same if I did that to his players. Si it's not a big deal to me.)

Guiao said he’s ready to move past the incident.

"Pare-pareho naman kaming kasama sa PBA family, that can be remedied."

(We're all part of the PBA family, that can be remedied.)

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News