Though the University of Santo Tomas survived to live to fight another day, third-year Growling Tigresses head coach Haydee Ong could not help but lament the whistles called against them.
Those calls almost cost them the game.
“Bakit sa men’s, they let the players play, pag sa babae, it’s quite manipis,” rued Ong after UST’s 78-69 win over Adamson.
“They’re not letting the players play.”
And the former National Team head coach has every right to raise that inquiry.
Early in the final frame, fourth-year guard Ruby Portillo tried to stop a breakaway attempt by Mar Prado. Portillo, who was already assessed a technical foul early in the game, was slapped with a disqualifying foul even though replays showed that she was clearly trying to tap the ball away.
Three minutes later, Cla Aujero challenged Kristeena Camacho’s fastbreak attempt. Camacho went down hard. An unsportsmanlike foul was called though replays showed that Aujero just tried to stand her ground.
Then with a minute left in the game, Grace Irebu had a good, clean block against Michelle Tandaan. Irebu though was slapped with a foul.
The foul that bothers Ong though was Portillo’s DQ foul as it will automatically result to a one-game suspension. That ban, if ever, will be served on Wednesday when UST takes on the FEU Lady Tamaraws in the stepladder semifinals.
“Yeah, we want to appeal on Portillo’s disqualifying foul. Hopefully the Commissioner’s Office will grant that. Ruby Portillo is never known as a dirty player,” Ong appealed.
“Even if they review it, talagang we were all going for the ball.”
That is why Ong and her staff will write a letter of appeal to the league as they are asking for a review on everything that transpired.
“So ‘yun lang sana ang request namin on the next game because it’s a knockout game again, and we’re going against FEU, so I hope we have better officiating.”
With this, Ong is hoping that they just let them play.
