TNT Tropang Giga lost something more than a 2-0 lead in their Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven finals series against Barangay Ginebra late Sunday.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial told DAILY TRIBUNE that they will bill the Tropang Giga for the wooden wall inside their dugout at the Mall of Asia Arena that was damaged by one of their players in the aftermath of their 70-71 setback to the Kings in Game 2.
Marcial said he understands that tensions were high in the finals series but players should still be careful not to damage the properties inside the venues.
He, however, stressed that they will forward the cost to the TNT management once the Mall of Asia executives send them the billing statement.
“If the bill was given to us, we will give it to the team. Then, they (TNT) will have to pay us and we will have to pay the venue,” Marcial said.
“The players were just frustrated, even the coaches, since it was a tense game but you have to pay for it.”
TNT has yet to announce the name of the culprit but speculations have it that it was big man Poy Erram who kicked the wall during his outburst.
Erram, who scored only six points in Game 2, drew a foul on Justin Brownlee with three minutes left in the fourth quarter and retreated to the dugout during a timeout to cool off. Sideliners witnessed that he kicked some luggage on his way to their dressing area.
He returned before the start of the fourth quarter and was fielded with seven minutes left in the game.
Neither the Mall of Asia management nor the Tropang Giga has released a statement regarding the damage.