Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao looks on during a game against Meralco in the PBA Governors’ Cup.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—The Meralco Bolts came to the defense of Cliff Hodge and slammed Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao for his remarks against the veteran forward.

Following Rain or Shine’s thrilling 85-83 win over Meralco, Guiao labeled Hodge as “the dirtiest player in the league” after a third-quarter incident saw Hodge colliding with Elasto Painters guard Adrian Nocum in the third quarter. The two players stayed down for a few minutes, but appeared OK after returning late in the game.

“Coach Yeng’s malicious imputations against Cliff are uncalled for and have no place in a professional league such as the PBA,” the team said in a statement.

“We hold all our coaches, players, and staff to always observe the highest level of professionalism, decorum, and conduct in all the games we play here and abroad.”

READ: PBA: Rain or Shine continues hot streak, escapes Meralco

Guiao didn’t mince words against Hodge, whom he also described as a “danger to his fellow players.”

“Sinaksak niya yung paa niya (he stuck out his foot). There have been similar incidents that I think cause danger to the players. It’s always been a lot of situations or incidents that Hodge is involved,” the multi-titled mentor said during the post-game presser.

The 38-year-old Hodge said he was trying to draw an offensive foul on Nocum, who was driving down the lane.

READ: PBA: Cliff Hodge brushes off Yeng Guiao’s comments

“I saw him (Nocum) coming full speed, I went for a charge and at the moment, he sidesteps right into my knees and dished it so we both fell on the ground,” he recalled.

Hodge didn’t seem affected by Guiao’s latest comments against him that came more than a decade since the veteran tactician referred to him in a derogatory term.

“Coach Yeng is coach Yeng. You guys know, everyone knows and the world knows how he is. He likes to say that, I’ll let him say that. That’s his personality. No hard feelings from me,” said Hodge.

Kovacic is set to stay at City this season after talks with the club hierarchy. The Croatian only has one year remaining on his contract and had been linked with a return to Inter but has been backed to be part of Enzo Maresca’s squad at the Etihad.

Kovacic told reporters in Hong Kong that he never felt any doubts from the club over his future and is happy to remain in Manchester for another year. Having missed most of last season with injury after needing two separate surgeries on an Achilles problem, the Croatian is looking to make up for lost time and prove his importance to Maresca.

“I didn’t feel the question marks from them. I spoke with them, it was that they count on me, which was important for me to hear that from them,” he said. “And now, like I said, for the players it’s always on you to show your best version, because if you’re playing good, the manager will put you first.”

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The BGMI Masters Series (BGMS) Season 5 will begin on August 10, 2026, with 24 teams. Nodwin Gaming has not yet revealed the names of all the participants. The tournament will take place in three stages, including League, Playoffs, and Grand Finals, and will be hosted offline in Delhi NCR.

The BGMS is a major third-party Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) event. Every year, Nodwin Gaming organizes this contest with a huge prize pool. The previous four seasons of the tournament have attracted massive viewership and were among the most successful BGMI events.

The inaugural edition of the BGMS featured a huge prize pool of ₹1.52 crore. The second and third editions boasted ₹2.1 crore and $1 crore, respectively. The fourth iteration was held with a total prize pool of ₹1.43 crore.

Dates for BGMS Season 5

The League Stage of the event will be held over three weeks, from August 10 to 30; the Playoffs will be hosted over three days, from August 31 to October 2; and the Grand Finals will be held from September 4 to 6, where the top 16 teams from the previous two stages will fight for the trophy.

Here are the dates for each stage of the event:

1) League Stage

• League Week 1 – August 10 to 13
• Bounty Weekend – August 14 to 16
• League Week 2 – August 17 to 20
• Super Weekend 1 – August 21 to 23
• League Week 3 – August 24 to 27
• Super Weekend 2 – August 28 to 30

2) Playoffs – August 31 to September 2

3) Grand Finals – September 4 to 6

Of the 24 participants, 20 will be invited directly to the BGMS Season 5. Four teams from the TVS Raider Wicked Battles have qualified for the contest.

Santa Esports emerged victorious in the TVS Wicked Battles 2026. White Walkers, Hexnova, and Aura X Esports were second, third, and fourth, respectively. These four underdogs have secured their spots in the BGMS Season 5.

K9 Esports was the winner of the previous edition of the tournament. The omega-led roster put in a top-notch performance to win its first major title. However, the organisation bid farewell to the lineup on April 18, 2026; they will be seen playing under Team Outrage’s banner in the upcoming BGMS Season 5.

In the coming days, Nodwin Gaming will reveal all the event details, such as format, schedule, prize pool, and more. All matches of the tournament will be livestreamed on Nodwin Gaming’s YouTube channel.