Altercations spice up intense SMB-NLEX clash

MANILA, Philippines — There was no shortage of entertainment value during Friday’s PBA nightcap. 
 
Featuring two stacked teams, the storylines were aplenty.

There was San Miguel shooting to extend its spotless campaign. 

There was NLEX trying to arrest its two-game skid.

There was Kiefer Ravena getting his second litmus test against two-time Defensive Player of the Year Chris Ross.

There was Leo Austria going superstitious with San Miguel's losing streak against NLEX at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Amid the hot shooting were lots of shoving and jawing.

Opening that arc were Von Pessumal and Kiefer Ravena, who were brothers-in-arms in their juniors and seniors UAAP campaign in Ateneo de Manila University.

The San Miguel guard bludgeoned the NLEX rookie just as they were jockeying for a rebound. This happened early in the final frame, shortly after Ravena gave Pessumal a staredown.

"I wouldn't say motivated [versus Kiefer], I mean it's just like any other game. When I. play I don't see who's guarding me. I just play. I play to win all the time,” Pessumal told the press when sought for a comment.

"I'm a professional basketball player, I'm not here to make any friends,” he added.

"I did not expect that at all,” Ravena offered. "But hopefully, Von doesn’t take it personal. I'm just doing my job. They won the game. For me I'll just try to — like what Chris Ross was doing to me — tried to get inside his head. I just wanted that as an advantage.”

But what takes the cake was Ross and Guiao getting into an altercation. The cager approached the coach during the final moments of the game. And the mentor, being a tough-talker that he is, didn’t back down.

The press tried to draw more details from that exchange:

Are sanctions on their way? We’ll get to know next week, that’s for sure.