MANILA, Philippines — The PBA Office of the Commissioner slapped hefty fines and suspensions on TNT forward Glen Khobuntin and Rain or Shine import Jaylen Johnson following fight-marred game Friday night.
The undersized TNT wingman Khobuntin was slapped a hefty P70,000 fine along with a two-game suspension.
On the other hand, the 6-foot-9 Johnson got a a one-game ban as well as a P50,000 fine.
Khobuntin and Johnson exchanged blows just under the basketball goal near the tunnel of the Araneta Coliseum.
Both players were eventually ejected after being assessed with flagrant foul penalty 2.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial summoned the two players on Saturday at the league’s head office in order to get to the bottom of the issue that escalated to their exchange of punches in the midway point of the fourth quarter .
TNT blew an 18-point lead and eventually bowed to Rain or Shine, 112-109.
“He was very sorry for what he did, teary-eyed,” Marcial said in Filipino in a statement posted at the PBA’s website. The league commissioner added that the 6-foot-3 former National U standout personally extended his apologies to Johnson, the league, his TNT team and Rain or Shine.
Marcial shared that Khobuntin got the heavier penalty for instigating the fight.
Khobuntin will begin serving the first of his two-game suspension on Sunday when TNT tangles with NLEX, while Johnson will miss Rain or Shine’s game against Meralco on Friday.