Guiao calls for PBA to act on 'dirtiest player' Hodge amid intense Rain or Shine-Meralco game

MANILA, Philippines -- Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao had some strong, choice words for Meralco Bolt Cliff Hodge after a dangerous foul on Elasto Painters guard Adrian Nocum. 

Rain or Shine won over Meralco, 85-83, Sunday evening in a thriller.

But it was a collision between Nocum and Hodge in the third quarter that drew the ire of Guiao.

With Rain or Shine leading 66-63, Nocum drove to the basket with a head full of steam.

And as Nocum dropped the pass to Christian Manaytay, Hodge tried to take a charge on Nocum, but their knees collided as the former took one more step. 

The two dropped to the floor, holding their knees. 

Hodge was later called for an unsportsmanlike foul, much to the dismay of the Meralco forward and head coach Luigi Trillo. 

Guiao, after the game, called Hodge “the dirtiest player in the league.” 

“Medyo kinabahan kami doon sa nangyari kay Adrian. Again, it’s Cliff Hodge. Dami nang ganung insidente ni Cliff Hodge. He’s the dirtiest player in the league, I think,” the fiery coach told reporters.

“Dapat siguro tignan ng liga yan. He’s a danger to the other players in the game, so his record speaks for itself,” he added. 

Guiao underscored that Hodge “is a danger to his fellow players.” 

“Sinaksak niya yung paa niya e. Kaya nga tinawagan na unsportsmanlike foul e. Maraming incidents na ganun na I think caused danger to the players and it’s always been… it’s been a lot of situations or incidents where Hodge is involved,” he said. 

“So yun nga. Tingin ko he’s a danger to his fellow players.” 

For his part, Hodge said that he just wanted to take a charge in the play. 

“During that play, I was coming in to take a charge, and Coach Yeng always does not like me. So, whatever words he said, it’s okay. I play hard for my team,” he said. 

“I saw him coming full speed, I went to go and take a charge, and at the moment, I was running to take a charge, he sidestepped, sidestepped right into my knee, and then he dished it, so then we both went down,” he added. 

“Coach Yeng is Coach Yeng. You guys know, everybody knows, the world knows… No hard feelings for me.” 

Rain or Shine rose to 4-2 in the standings after the narrow win, while Meralco dropped to 2-4.