Guiao, Walker bury hatchet

MANILA, Philippines – Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao and Alaska Milk import Henry Walker both displayed a great character worth emulating in their just-concluded semis series in the PBA Governors Cup.

Through the epic battle, the two demonstrated themselves as embodiments of true sporting warriors, professionals and gentlemen, giving the RoS-Alaska duel a dash of drama and a touch of style.

They figured in a verbal spat through media in the course of the series but, as the smoke of battle cleared, they sought each other and lauded each other’s work while locked in a hug at mid-court.

Animosity was over. Respect for each other prevailed.

“You have to respect his effort, what he has done,” said Guiao of Walker.

“You have to separate what’s really the psyching up, the psych battles from professionalism. It’s really just drawing the line, knowing when you have just to respect people for what they have done,” Guiao also said.

“After the game where you’re out to make a living, tapos na yon. Pagbalik sa game, ganon uli,” Guiao added.

At one point in the series, Walker called Rain or Shine’s game not “basketball but dirty.”

As Walker was tossed out of the court in Game Four after a flagrant infraction on Paul Lee, Guiao, meanwhile, called Walker “a menace and a bully.”

In the end, both admired one another as a competitor.

They locked themselves in a hug at mid-court moments after the final buzzer Saturday night, saying nice words to one another.

And after a shower and before leaving the venue, Walker waited for Guiao to come out of their dugout for one last greeting.

All’s well that ends well.