San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez was not in a celebratory mood after the Red Lions scraped past College of Saint Benilde, 63-57, to notch the third seed in the NCAA Season 97 playoffs.
After all, the five-time NCAA champion coach has been disappointed with the officiating for their past two games.
“Mahirap magsabi pero sana tignan nila yung officiating, medyo mabigat,” lamented Fernandez.
“Ayoko ng paulit-ulit kaming mag-tape at sesend namin sa kanila pero hindi naman nila nakikita.
“I have so much respect for Coach Bai [Cristobal] at sana hopefully, they should check. Check lang natin yung weaknesses at yung maling tawag ng referee. We’ll accept kung mali naman kami but kawawa yung players namin. Sana macheck lang ni Commissioner Bai. We will surely send some letters for what happened today,” he continued.
Chippy was the game between San Beda and Benilde with 34 total fouls called in the contest — with the Blazers being assessed with 20.
Late in the contest, AJ Benson of Saint Benilde was called for two unsportsmanlike fouls — including one against James Canlas for dragging him down that resulted to an injury.
But it’s not just the Benilde game that Fernandez is worried about.
During San Beda’s rivalry game against Letran last Friday, a total of 42 fouls were called. And that game itself was extra physical.
“It’s not only the call on Benson but the game in general. Kasi marami kaming reklamo when we played against Letran but we were not saying anything,” he recalled. “So ngayon eto na naman, paulit-ulit na lang e. I respect him as a coach and a commissioner.
“Ang hinihingi ko lang is i-check nila yung tama at mali. NC has a proud tradition as an organization. Ganda nang nakabalik na tayo pero huwag na natin sirain. Kung ito yung tawagan, naku, patay tayo dun.”
Fernandez hopes that the league fixes its officiating now that it is in the closing stages of the tournament.
“Di kami magproprotesta. We just have to check yung tawag nila. Ganun lang yun. Sama talaga e. Kawawa players ko.”
