Dahil sa pagba-ban kay Balkman, SMC aalis sa PBA?

MANILA, Philippines - Pinatawan ng lifetime ban sa PBA at pinagmulta ng P250,000 ni league Commissioner Chito Salud si Petron Blaze import Renaldo Balkman kahapon ilang oras matapos niyang marinig ang panig ng American-Puerto Rican tungkol sa pagwawala nito ilang segundo bago matapos ang laro ng Boosters kontra sa Alaska sa Commissioner’s Cup noong Biyernes sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.

 Ang dahilan ng mabigat na parusa kay Balkman, ayon kay Salud, ay: “For initiating threatening physical contact with a referee followed by a prolonged, offensive, belligerent if not aberrant on-court decorum directed toward game officials and his Petron teammates and superiors, including the head coach and assistant coaches, amounting to a blatant and utter disrespect for the game, his own ballclub, the League, the fans and his host country.”

Pero tila hindi sinang-ayunan ng San Miguel Corporation na siyang may-ari ng Petron Blaze sa naging desisyon ni Salud. Agad silang naglabas ng statement na pag-aaralan nilang mabuti ang kanilang patuloy na pagsali sa PBA.

“Management has decided to re-evaluate the company’s continuing participation in the PBA,” ayon sa statement mula sa SMC. “We do not condone (Balkman’s) actions. The mandate of our basketball operations has always been to entertain basketball fans and foster camaraderie and a spirit of healthy competition. We pride ourselves in having great teams who serve as good role models to the youth and community. Unfortunately, the incident has been blown out of proportion and has damaged our good name. Already, news of the incident has spread throughout the country and overseas through traditional and online media. Our reputation is of utmost importance to us because we have worked hard to cultivate this good name through the decades. But it takes only one unfortunate incident like this to undo all our efforts.”

 Nangyari ang insidenteng kinasangkutan ni Balkman, may 21.6 segundo na lamang ang natitira sa laro kung saan natalo ang Boosters,  83-73 na nagresulta ng pagtatapos ng five-game win streak ng Petron sanhi ng pagbaba ng Boosters sa 5-2  karta at pag-akyat sa iba-baw ng standings ng Aces sa kanilang 6-1 record.

 Bukod sa pag-kompronta sa mga referees  dahil sa sinasabi niyang non-call sa isang fastbreak lay-up niya sa endgame, ipinagtabuyan at hindi din pinagpapansin ni Balkman sina assistant coach Biboy Ravanes at teammates Ronald Tubid at Arwind Santos na pare-parehong sinubukan siyang pakalmahin at pigilan sa kanyang sobrang init ng ulo. Inakmang sakalin pa nito si Santos.