REYNALD MAGALLON

A heated verbal tussle between NorthPort team manager Pido Jarencio and NLEX import Thomas Robinson painted an ugly end to a highly physical and emotional encounter between the two teams on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jarencio was heard hurling expletives – some of which were threats – towards the NLEX dugout after the Road Warriors  pulled off a 112-104 victory over the Batang Pier.

Witnesses’ accounts said Jarencio was shouting at Robinson who then already walked his way towards the NLEX dugout.

The incident couldn’t have happened if Robinson immediately went to the dugout after the contest but instead, he waited for Jarencio and NorthPort team governor Erick Arejola at the tunnel towards the respective dugouts..

Before the incident, Robinson was seen in television cameras confronting Jarencio and Arejola after the customary coaches’ hand shake before cooler heads managed to separate them.

Officials from both teams, including NLEX head coach Frankie Lim and PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, acted as pacifier to the altercation before both teams headed to their respective dugouts.

The Batang Pier seemed to be getting into the head of the former NBA forward after he was assessed for a technical foul first for taunting when he put the ball on the chest of the already lying Cade Flores

Tempers then flared more in the third quarter when Robinson got physical with NorthPort forward JM Calma resulting in a verbal spat between him and Arejola, and eventually, Jarencio, who came into the defense of the NorthPort governor, as well.

A technical foul on Robinson for use of profane language seemed to have put the NLEX’s import focus back to the game but immediately went back at confronting the NorthPort officials as soon as the final buzzer sounded.

Asked about the post-game encounter, Robinson played down the incident, saying that he was just competing and the Batang Pier were just upset about the loss.

“He’s just upset they lost. We won,” said Robinson. “He’s competing. I’m competing, that’s all.”

Members of the press tried to seek reaction from Jarencio after the game but the 59-year-old former NorthPort coach left the venue shortly after the incident.