TNT KaTropa’s Terrence Jones was fined P20,000 on Saturday after his headbutt on San Miguel Beer guard Chris Ross in Game 3 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals was upgraded to a Flagrant Foul 2 even as team owner Manny V. Pangilinan expressed concern over the incidents involving his import.
The PBA Commissioner’s Office made the decision after reviewing the incident that occurred early in the first quarter of the KaTropa’s 115-105 win that put them up 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.
Jones, however, won’t be serving any suspension in Sunday’s fourth game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum where TNT will seek to move one win away from capturing its first title since the 2015 Commissioner’s Cup.
Ross raised a howl when referees ruled the infraction as a Flagrant 1 which kept the Best Import contender in the game. Jones would play a big role in TNT’s 24-0 run in the second quarter that turned the tide in their favor.
It was the second time that Jones was sanctioned this conference.
He was slapped with a total fine of P70,000 for his role in the incident that prompted the league to suspended Phoenix Pulse star Calvin Abueva indefinitely.
Jones hit Abueva in the private area, prompting the latter to respond with a clothesline tackle. The TNT reinforcement also shoved referee Joel Baldago during the skirmish.
Meanwhile, San Miguel Beer’s Christian Standhardinger was fined P5,000 for his Flagrant Foul 1 on Jones in the third quarter of Game 3.
Standhardinger placed Jones on an arm lock while the two were battling for the rebound late in the third quarter.
Jones has been trying to keep his composure in check, particularly against Ross and Standhardinger who have been trying to get under his skin since the start of the series.
While TNT coach Bong Ravena and consultant Mark Dickel have praised Jones for keeping his cool most of the time, Pangilinan couldn’t hide his displeasure with the series of incidents.
“Query: are there attempts to take Terrence Jones out from playing?” Pangilinan tweeted Saturday afternoon.
-JONAS TERRADO
