By Jonas Terrado
Is three-time scoring champion Terrence Romeo leaving GlobalPort?
Though the Gilas star appeared to have patched up with GlobalPort coach Pido Jarencio, his action may force the Batang Pier management to trade him to one of the three teams under the Manny V. Pangilinan Group.
An impeachable PBA source disclosed that two officials of the TNT KaTropa have expressed their desire to acquire the flamboyant guard.
“TNT is aching to get Terrence,” the source said.
The two officials, he said, already had an initial talk with a GlobalPort official but it reportedly bogged down after Romeo was sidelined due to a knee contusion.
Meralco, another team under the MVP Group, also wanted to get Romeo but the negotiation did not last long after GlobalPort reportedly demanded to get two star players instead of only one.
But for “disrespecting” Jarencio, GlobalPort is likely to open its communication channel again to Romeo takers.
Jarencio, meantime, was quick to brush off his shouting match with the ace scorer that marred Tuesday’s quarterfinal loss to Magnolia in the PBA Philippine Cup as an isolated case rather than a sign of a trouble brewing the team.
Jarencio and Romeo had to be separated by cooler heads after the two exchanged words with 3:00 left in the third quarter of their 86-79 defeat that ended their campaign in the season-opening conference.
The witty GlobalPort mentor later downplayed the incident when asked by sportswriters after the match.
“Nagkasarapan lang,” Jarencio said, adding that shouting match was a case of two personalities desperately wanting to see GlobalPort force a rubber match in their quarterfinal duel with the twice-to-beat Magnolia squad.
The exchange was triggered by was looked like a defensive breakdown by Romeo that saw guard Mark Barroca knocking down an open three, giving Magnolia a 54-53 lead.
Obviously frustrated with the lapse and squandering a 20-point first quarter lead, Jarencio and Romeo began to argue following a GlobalPort timeout before being separated by Batang Pier players and officials.
Jarencio later approached Romeo and tried to clear the air on what seemed like a case of misunderstanding before GlobalPort veteran Ryan Araña was overheard telling the two to settle the differences after the game.
Romeo spent the rest of the third quarter on the bench before making his way back in the fourth. But Magnolia eventually built a 12-point lead, forcing GlobalPort to play catch up until the final buzzer.
More than the disappointment of blowing a huge lead was perhaps the added frustration for Romeo, who is still seeking his first championship since his pro debut in 2013.
Romeo’s closest chance at a championship came in the 2016 Philippine Cup when the Batang Pier were eliminated by the Alaska Aces in the semifinals, with Jarencio serving as coach.
It was only Romeo’s second game after recovering from a knee contusion that prompted him to miss five months. He finished with 14 points against Magnolia.