Tim Cone’s ‘bad day’ ends with bizarre collision with referee

AKTV/Pranz Kaeno Billones

With still about a minute left in Game Four of the Commissioner’s Cup finals, B-MEG coach Tim Cone stormed out of his team’s bench, gave Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes a tap, and walked into the dugout, no longer witnessing the conclusion of the Tropang Texters’ 100-85 victory.

The odd scene was a fitting end to a bizarre sequence in the dying moments of the game.

The Tropang Texters looked about ready to cruise to victory with less than two minutes left, before a flagrant foul by Pamboy Raymundo caused a scuffle among the team’s players, which took several minutes for officials to sort out. The whole affair resulted in the ejections of Raymundo and Joe Devance. (See related story: Pamboy earns ire of B-MEG, fans.)

A couple of plays later, veteran referee Art Herrera collided with Cone on the sidelines, and the veteran coach remained crumpled on the floor for a while as action continued.

“I got stepped on by the referee and bumped and I fell,” Cone told media after the game. “I couldn’t keep my balance because he stepped on my foot. I was surprised he didn’t help me up or he didn’t say anything to me or apologize. I wasn’t looking for that to happen. I was daydreaming when it happened.”

Cone said he walked out of the court to prevent things from getting uglier.

“I was upset after I got knocked down and I didn’t want to be there anymore to get myself in trouble. I walked off the floor so I wouldn’t get myself into trouble anymore. Better get off the floor. I could’ve done that or I could’ve gotten a [technical foul] and get thrown out. That was the choice. I could’ve talked to the referee and get thrown out. So I’d rather walk off the floor than get thrown out. A lot went on in that last two minutes.”

Later, Cone seemed calmer when he addressed B-MEG fans on Twitter.

“Well, you know its a bad day when… the referee steps on your foot and knocks you down,” he wrote.

“Not our night, but we’ll be back with a vengeance.”

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