Watch: Basketball Game Turns Wild After Opponents Trade Vicious Cheap Shots
In mid-March, former Kentucky Wildcats big man Terrence Jones played for the Houston Rockets on a pair of 10-day contracts.
But the team elected not to sign Jones for the rest of the season, which paved the way for him to head overseas and join the TNT KaTropa of the Philippine Basketball Association.
Now, the PBA is certainly not the NBA in terms of level of play and sportsmanship, as became clear in a game on Sunday.
Jones was knocked down by the Phoenix Fuel Masters’ Calvin Abueva, a seven-time PBA All-Star who’s nicknamed The Beast due to his rough-and-tough style of play.
Jones responded in a way that would no doubt have gotten him immediately ejected and likely suspended in the NBA.
In the PBA, it was simply a “play on.”
Calvin Abueva and Terrence Jones went at it in the fourth quarter of the Phoenix Pulse-TNT game…#PBAonESPN5 #PBALabanKungLaban #PBACommsCup pic.twitter.com/D2WN2cx2Y4
— ESPN5 (@Sports5PH) June 2, 2019
Jones gave Abueva a low blow, followed by a forearm to the chin. He followed that up by shimmying while heading toward the bench a little later on in the game, when his team was up big.
But Abueva soon reminded everyone why he’s nicknamed The Beast, as he got his revenge a short time later.
Once Jones corralled a rebound, Abueva delivered a WWE-style clothesline hit that knocked Jones to the floor.
Abueva then raised his hand to sarcastically acknowledge that he had committed a foul.
After Jones got up, players from both teams, as well as the referees, had to intervene in order to keep him from going after Abueva.
Later, Abueva mocked Jones’ shimmy with a dance of his own.
… and “The Beast” went dancing (literally) after dealing the final blow which ultimately led to his ejection.#PBAonESPN5 #PBALabanKungLaban #PBACommsCup pic.twitter.com/AlGZBVdrlP
— ESPN5 (@Sports5PH) June 2, 2019
After the game, Jones denied hitting Abueva in the groin, despite the video evidence.
Terrence Jones denies hitting Calvin Abueva in the groin area midway through the final frame of TNT’s 114-88 win over Phoenix here in Antipolo City.
Abueva was ejected after clotheslining Jones.
Jones says Abueva is a “funny guy.” #PBA2019 | @dioquinodelfin pic.twitter.com/WVS8aGTdvL
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 2, 2019
“You can go back and watch the film. I know I didn’t put my hand towards any man’s groin area,” Jones said. “It’s a lot of cheap shots and guys trying to get reactions from me since they’ve seen it work two games ago.”
Jones called Abueva a “funny guy,” before adding, “He’s lucky his teammates got him away from me.”
Jones, who scored 40 points in his team’s victory, is leading the PBA Commissioner’s Cup with an average of 35.25 points per game.
Abueva, meanwhile, was indefinitely suspended by the PBA. He was also fined 70,000 Philippine Pesos, which equates to about $1,350.
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