The Meralco Bolts have come to the defense of long-time Bolt Cliff Hodge after Rain or Shine Elasto Painters coach Yeng Guiao branded him “the dirtiest player in the league.”
Guiao’s fiery words came after Rain or Shine’s 85-83 victory over Meralco, where Adrian Nocum suffered a knee-on-knee collision with Hodge during a play with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. Nocum drove on the right wing and was met by Hodge, who slid into position to take the charge. The high-flying guard got the pass off but lay on the ground for a few minutes after the collision, as did Hodge. The veteran was later assessed an unsportsmanlike foul.
“In the play involving Adrian Nocum, Cliff simply stepped in to try to draw a charge in a defensive stance position. The contact was incidental and should not be misconstrued as a dirty play,” the Bolts said in a statement on Monday morning.
Bolts Blast Guiao for Hodge Remarks
In the same statement, Meralco rued Guiao’s controversial remarks, which the team deemed “unfair, unfounded, and unprofessional.” The Bolts also maintained that the energy and passion with which Hodge plays are being taken against him unjustly.
“We therefore take very strong exception to the unfair, unfounded, and unprofessional statement that the head coach of Rain or Shine, Coach Yeng Guiao, uttered in public during his post-game interview against our player, Mr. Cliff Hodge, whom he unjustly maligned in public by calling him ‘the dirtiest player in the PBA,’” the statement further said. “Cliff Hodge has been a Defensive Player of the Year awardee and named to the All-Defensive Team multiple times through the years because of the energy and passion that he has been known to play with, and this should not be taken against him.”
Moreover, Meralco emphasized that the franchise “will not condone any unprofessional conduct” and that it takes “immense pride in the intensity and passion” of its players whenever they step on the court.
The PBA, as of this writing, has not commented on the issue.
