Terrence Romeo, Jarencio quick to bury hatchet after third-quarter shouting match

Tensions escalated on the GlobalPort bench during the third period when Terrence Romeo and coach Pido Jarencio engaged in a heated verbal exchange within the team huddle. The confrontation occurred at the three-minute mark, coinciding with Magnolia seizing a 54-53 lead—their first advantage since the opening quarter—after a Mark Barroca three-pointer.

Team manager Bonnie Tan intervened to separate the two, with Romeo visibly agitated during what appeared to be a shouting match. Television reports attributed the clash to a "miscommunication" between player and coach regarding substitution decisions. Both parties reportedly agreed to resolve their issues after the game.

The incident compounded frustrations for GlobalPort, who had squandered a 20-point first-half lead. Romeo had contributed modestly before the altercation, scoring only eight points on 4-10 shooting. He returned to play at the 10:34 mark of the fourth quarter, suggesting temporary resolution of the conflict.

This marks recurring bench drama for the Batang Pier, following a nearly identical altercation last season involving Stanley Pringle and former head coach Franz Pumaren.