MANILA, Philippines – Tensions escalated to a breaking point when Terrence Romeo’s late three-pointer infuriated Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, casting a shadow on San Miguel Beer’s convincing Game 3 victory in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals. Romeo’s choice to sink an open tray when the game was already settled caused a barrage of expletives from the ferocious Guiao as the closing seconds of the Beermen’s 117-107 victory at the City of Dasmarinas Arena ticked off.

Following the heated encounter, Guiao did not hold back, attributing his emotional reaction to a violation of basic decency. “It’s just basic decency,” Guiao said, an air of outrage in his voice. “We all know that San Miguel is a first-class organization, and we have a great relationship with all their staff and coaches. But basic decency is the bare minimum.”

Romeo’s temper became even more explosive when he tried to approach the Rain or Shine trainer, losing his cool under Guiao’s verbal abuse and had to be physically held by his teammates. What should have been a triumphant moment for the Beermen—who now lead the best-of-seven series 2-1—was instead a stressful and unpleasant ending.

Romeo’s late-game shot may have had virtues, but the argument that followed has clouded the on-court procedures since both sides appear to be firmly committed to their respective strategies. It is unclear if the event will be forgotten as the series progresses or if it will continue to be a source of resentment, escalating the already fierce rivalry between the two sides.

Sportsmanship occasionally loses out to the natural competitiveness that characterizes the greatest levels of competition when emotions are running high during a struggle. But as Guiao’s passionate remarks indicate, there is an unspoken code of conduct that calls for a certain degree of decency and respect regardless of win or failure, and it goes beyond the desire for success.

When questioned by the media, San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent opted to remain silent, but he was shown on TV taking responsibility for Romeo’s choice to take the shot.

As a show of respect for the losing team, teams—especially those in the lead—have an unspoken rule not to attempt any shots in the last seconds.

However, that was acknowledged during the elimination round when teams had to inflate their victory margin in order to utilize it as a quotient in the event of a tie.

“Terrence isn’t one of the new guys in this league, and he knows that in the semifinals, there’s no quotient needed,” stated Guiao. “Because it was unpleasant outdoors, I was also taken aback by what transpired.

“They should be a class organization by showing respect to those who are underneath them, in my opinion, just by virtue of being the top seed, the greatest team, having the best record, and having the best players. It’s only an indication of dissatisfaction that you hope to finish with respect for each other; you don’t want to be impolite but you will be humiliated.”