“Hindi ko na inintindi.” That’s what Delta Pineda told reporters when he was asked what Barangay Ginebra San Miguel coach Tim Cone said to him after the Converge FiberXers one-upped the crowd darlings, 106-96, on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The PBA’s all-time winningest coach appeared to give his counterpart some choice words at the end of Friday’s nightcap after Juan Gomez de Liaño, apparently on the prodding of Pineda himself, scooted in for a lay-in with the game well in hand for Converge. Cone also refused to shake hands with the FiberXers as he walked off the court noticeably fuming.
Cone, of course, is known for his disdain towards teams still trying to score with the game already decided. And Friday night wasn’t the first time he has lost his cool because of someone breaking what’s known in basketball as “breaking an ‘unwritten rule’”—if there really is one.
Delta Pineda Says Sorry, Maintains It Was the Right Call
In the same postgame presser, Delta Pineda also told reporters he is sorry for instructing Gomez de Liaño to score even with the outcome already decided. Even so, he maintains it was the right call as the quotient system will determine the seedings for the playoffs in case teams have identical records.
“’Di ba quotient tayo, and there’s a chance na ‘yung losses namin mag-meet kami sa huli. So, that’s why I gave the signal with Juan to score. Hindi malabong mangyari. So, sorry na nagbigay ako ng instruction, pero I think kailangan po namin…,” Pineda explained. “Hindi ko na inintindi [what Cone said to him]. Tumawa nalang po ako. Part of the game. At the end of the day, maiintindihan din po niya ‘yun. Even kay Boss Al [Chua] nag-sorry din ako. I explained to Boss Al na ang rule natin ngayon is quotient tayo, so important every point.”
Pineda, of course, is spot on. In the last Philippine Cup, for example, the reigning champions San Miguel Beermen secured the top spot even with four teams toting similar 8-3 records because they had the superior quotient. The TNT Tropang 5G, on the other hand, finished no. 6 instead of no. 8 because of a superior quotient and avoided what would’ve been an early clash with San Miguel—with a twice-to-win disadvantage no less.
So, yes, every point matters. And with Converge tied with four other teams at 5-2, there’s a high likelihood the quotient system will be a factor later on. That Cone cried about it isn’t Delta Pineda’s problem anymore.
