The Thunder regained a share of the lead with the Talk N Text Phone Pals in the Samsung PBA Commissioner’s Cup after beating the Realtors, 66-62, in the match that nearly escalated into a brawl on the Araneta Coliseum back corridor leading to the dugouts.
A near fight between Aquino and Red Bull import Tony Lang at the outset of the fourth quarter marred the contest and tempers further flared after the contest that led to an ugly verbal tussle between Guiao and Aquino on their way to their respective dugouts after the game.
Claiming Guiao pointed a dirty finger at him, the Sta. Lucia behemoth ran after the Red Bull coach and cursed him on their way out. Guiao also screamed back expletives and challenged the tall Aquino to any kind of fight.
"Marlou was trying to get into our head and he nearly succeeded. Pero okay lang sa akin, hindi naman nakukuha iyan sa laki," said Guiao when he finally made it to the postgame interview.
Guiao and Aquino are expected to be summoned by commissioner Jun Bernardino.
The Thunder were enjoying a 59-48 lead when Aquino and Lang nearly mixed it up following a hard foul by the Sta. Lucia player. After the incident, the complexion of the game changed with Aquino and his Sta. Lucia teammates making a big run and putting a big challenge at endgame.
It took two foul shots by Lang and a block by Willie Miller on Francis Adriano in the final 21 seconds of play for Red Bull to ease the pressure from the Realtors and eventually clinch its third straight victory in the mid-season tournament.
Alaska scored a bit of revenge against Governors Cup finals tormentor Purefoods as the Aces held off the Hotdogs, 83-79, in the second game.