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‘It’s just basketball. I have no grudge, no ill feelings,’ says Rain or Shine’s Caelan Tiongson, who figured in some rough plays against NorhPort’s Sidney Onwubere
MANILA, Philippines – Caelan Tiongson refuted notion of bad blood between him and Sidney Onwubere following a highly physical PBA Philippine Cup battle that ended with Rain or Shine scoring a 113-96 win over NorthPort at the Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, April 16.
Tiongson said he has nothing against Onwubere even after they figured in a couple of rough plays in the dying minutes of the one-sided encounter that allowed the Elasto Painters to raise their record to 1-1.
“It’s just basketball. I have no grudge, no ill feelings. He played really hard,” said Tiongson, who finished with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.
“I didn’t think things got really heated at all. I don’t really take stuff like that too seriously. I like to have fun with it. Maybe some people take it seriously, but I don’t.”
Tiongson tried to shake hands with Onwubere at the end of the game, but the Batang Pier forward refused and walked straight to the dugout.
Onwubere said he and Tiongson were merely “competing.”
“The game was ongoing, so when we’re on the court, there are no friends,” said Onwubere, who tallied a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds. “He knows that. And it’s part of like the gimmick.”
“But outside the court, he can talk to me, he can say hi. We can shake hands. No problem.”
Gian Mamuyac starred in the victory with 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists, catching fire early as he unloaded 13 points in the opening quarter to help Rain or Shine race to a 31-17 cushion and coast the rest of the way.
The Elasto Painters never relinquished the upper hand and pushed their lead to its biggest at 19 points, 104-85, off a bucket by Santi Santillan, who backstopped Mamuyac with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Andrei Caracut contributed 15 points and 5 rebounds for Rain or Shine, Adrian Nocum supplied 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, while veteran forward Gabe Norwood chimed in 9 points and 10 rebounds.
William Navarro put up 22 points and 12 rebounds to pace NorthPort, which severely missed the services of star forward Arvin Tolentino due to a hip injury.
Joshua Munzon had 14 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds in the loss that dropped the Batang Pier to 1-1.
If there were any silver linings for NorthPort, though, it was the return of guard Jio Jalalon, who churned out 11 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals in his first game back after a months-long layoff caused by a back injury.
The Scores
Rain or Shine 113 – Mamuyac 22, Santillan 17, Caracut 15, Tiongson 15, Nocum 10, Norwood 9, Asistio 9, Malonzo 7, Clarito 5, Borboran 4, Escandor 0, Lemetti 0.
NorthPort 96 – Navarro 22, Munzon 14, Jalalon 11, Nelle 11, Onwubere 10, Flores 8, Bulanadi 6, Yu 5, Taha 5, Miranda 4, Tratter 0, Cuntapay 0.
Quarters: 31-17, 56-48, 86-75, 113-96.
– Rappler.com
