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| After exchanging words with Coach Yeng Guiao, Coach Joseph Steibing decided to call off the match. Dennis Acosta |
By Ivan Saldajeno
PASIG--With the team just down by nine points with 6:26 remaining in a tune-up action at the Meralco Gym on Wednesday night, Jordan could have just played on and try to come back and beat Gilas Pilipinas.
The Jordanian players looked like they still wanted to play as they were even among the ones who helped calm Coaches Yeng Guiao and Joseph Steibing down.
But with the emotions already running high, Steibing decided to huddle his players up and tell them to call it a match, effectively giving Gilas an 82-73 win in the heated friendly.
"I just felt like if we continue the game, something bad is going happen. And I don't want to see that happen. If it is us getting into a fight, I don’t think that is good for either team. That is why we decided to call it a game," Steibing explained why he had to beg off from continuing the game.
Jordan raced to a 19-point lead in the first half before Gilas turned things around in the second half to take the advantage for good.
The game just stopped abruptly when a Jordanian player threw the ball at Scottie Thompson in response to the latter's hard foul, triggering the commotion.
[Related Story: Late altercation mars Gilas-Jordan rematch]
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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