By REYNALD MAGALLON
San Miguel Beer head coach Leo Austria and Game 3 hero CJ Perez had a verbal spat over the latter’s playing minutes when the Beermen were squandering a big lead in the first half.
But it all turned out for the best.
The altercation seemed to have lit the fire under Perez while Austria’s call allowed the SMB guard to stay fresh for the last ditch rally which they did via a thrilling 95-89, giving the Beermen a pivotal 2-1 series lead.
“Earlier during the first half, nagkaroon kami ng kaunting altercation. He wants to win by playing a lot of times,” Austria recalled.
“But as a coach, I know what’s happening, because we’re after the flow of the game. I have respect for everybody. But I want to let him know na I am the coach of the team and they should respect me also,” he added.
Perez was shooting 1-of-6 during that point and was held to just three points through the first three quarters.
He then exploded for 17 in the fourth — including in a blistering stretch where Perez scored seven straight points that put the Beermen back on the lead, 93-89 and ultimately saved his team from the fangs of defeat.
“It turned out maganda ang nangyari. Nare-focus siya. Nakita ninyo kanina, ayaw magpatalo,” Austria said of his premier scorer.
The veteran coach, however, assured that the altercation wasn’t a big deal and they already let bygones be bygones.
“I apologized and he apologized,” said Austria.
“That’s already a thing of the past. After all we’re one team, we have to unite together para hind maapektuhan yung team,” he stressed.
