Chot Reyes, Jericho Cruz in heated PBA PH Cup Game 3 moment

Jericho Cruz confronted Coach Chot Reyes as to why the latter clapped at him after a technical foul. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

QUEZON CITY--The tension have risen up significantly in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

TNT coach Chot Reyes and San Miguel guard Jericho Cruz had a short-lived verbal tussle late into Game 3 of the series on Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

This stemmed from a technical foul called on Cruz midway through the fourth quarter of the said game when he apparently did not like Reyes' claps and exchanged some words with him.

When asked about the applause, Reyes said that it was not intended to insult Cruz at all.

"I was just clapping. I don't know what he was upset about. I knew it was going to be a technical, so I was clapping. And then sabi niya, 'Why? What did I do?' Sabi ko, 'I'm just clapping. What am I doing?' Di ko siya kinausap. Wala akong sinabi sa kanya. I just clapped kasi technical," Reyes said.

"Akala niya ata sa kanya ako nakalingon."

At that point, the Tropang 5G were mounting a comeback as they already were within eight, 82-90, after trailing by double digits, and Cruz's technical foul could further harm the Beermen in the end.

However, that technical foul may have fueled SMB in the clutch as the team went on an 18-6 run from there to pull away for a 108-88 win.

Cruz declined to comment regarding his side of the story, but the heated moment could motivate him further to bounce as the series shifts to the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay for Game 4 on Sunday night.

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