"This is the hardest part of being a commissioner. But there’s a job to be done," said Eala, who handed down the penalty on the eve of the Samsung-PBA’s 29th season opening. " I hope by enforcing the sanction the message is clear: the Office of the Commissioner will strictly enforce league rules without sacrificing its commitment to the fans."
Eala slapped P50,000 each on Red Bull and Ginebra while penalizing Torion P25,000 and David P20,000 for triggering the melee that nearly went out of control. Both players, however, escaped suspension.
Thursday incident is expected to spark an interesting rivalry between two of the league’s top crowd drawers.
After repeatedly pushing and shoving each other, emotions ran high after Torion punched the Ginebra guard during a dead-ball situation. Both were ejected from the game.
The Thunder won, 92-90.
"While we admire the intensity and passion shown by both teams in preparation for the 29th season, we will not tolerate any violation of league rules and its discipline," Eala stressed.