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Salud summons Guiao and Hodge for altercation, clarifies expansion process

RoS head coach Yeng Guiao had choice words for Meralco forward Cliff Hodge after his hit on Raymond Almazan. (Czeasar Dancel/NPPA Images)

PBA Commissioner Chito Salud will not take the latest altercation sitting down. After Cliff Hodge hit Raymond Almazan in Game 2 of the quarterfinals series, Rain or Shine head coach waited for the Meralco forward near the dugout. The two got into a shouting match but cooler heads prevented it from escalating.

“Name-calling and the use of insulting language will have consequences and that’s the reason why I invited coach Yeng at 1 pm tomorrow,” said Salud. “I want to hear his side on the altercation that happened after the game where it appeared that he waited for Cliff Hodge. I wasn’t there at the height of the altercation. Beyond that I really do not know what happened that’s why I invited him.”

Salud admitted that Hodge’s foul, which was assessed as a regular one during the game could be upgraded into a flagrant foul.

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“It was called but it could be reviewed as a flagrant foul that’s why Hodge is also being summoned for a possible upgrade to a flagrant foul,” the PBA Commissioner added.

Regarding the upcoming entry of the expansion teams, Salud clarified the rules that the PBA Board has approved.

The ten current PBA teams will be required to name a 12-man lineup for the PBA’s 40th season. All of the other players will then be available for the other teams to pick-up through the expansion draft. The order for that draft will be decided through lottery.

“That would free more players for the picking of the three expansion teams,” said Salud. “12-man lineups will be announced right after the season thereby practically instituting a policy that would require each team to protect 12 players and the rest along with free agents will be available to the three expansion teams.”

In the annual PBA Rookie Draft on August 24, 2014, the three expansion teams will get the 11th, 12th, and 13th picks in the first round and the first,  second, and third picks in the second round.

The ten PBA teams will only draft until the second round which means the three expansion teams will have a chance to fill their rosters from the third round on.



The PBA Board however will not allow the expansion teams to get direct hires which means NLEX and Blackwater Sports will lose some of their prized players to the other PBA teams.

“No direct hire of rookies, all rookies will pass through the draft,” clarified Salud. This will also be the case if eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao decides to proceed with his wish to play in the PBA for KIA. “He will be a welcome addition to the PBA but he has to undergo the process,” Salud closed.