Controversy arose Tuesday afternoon during another close affair between the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers and the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals.
With 16.6 ticks remaining in the game and the Generals leading 63-60, Teytey Teodoro threw a desperation heave with .2 seconds remaining over the trailing Jorem Morada. The referee blew the whistle, calling for a foul with .2 seconds remaining. However, upon review, the referee waived off the call, much to the chagrin of the Heavy Bombers.
EAC head coach Ariel Sison shared during the post-game that the Heavy Bombers have filed a protest for the game.
“Naka-protest daw sila. Okay lang sa akin yun, walang problema sa akin yun,” EAC head coach Ariel Sison said. “Let them decide basta sa akin nakita namin na panalo kami. There was no contact called.”
The said protest was immediately filed by the Kalentong cagers after the game, and was signed by team captain Jordan Dela Paz. However, for JRU mentor Vergel Meneses, a protest is no longer needed.
“Ako yung interpretation ko, yung contact, usually naman yung tawag late yan e. Nung tiningnan namin may time pa, pero yun yung call nila walang magagawa.”
“Kung ako yung tatanungin huwag nalang. Because of that, mananalo ka or uulitin yung game,” the PBA legend said.
“Let’s give credit to EAC, they played well.”
The loss snapped his team’s four-game winning run, which was his team’s own doing he reflected.
“My starters, bad start. They think na kayang kaya nila yung EAC,” he said.
“Sinabi ko na sa kanila na natatalo yung EAC sa last minute ng game.”
Looking forward and with a 7-6 slate – if the protest will not pass -, the Heavy Bombers can no longer afford to lose, the JRU mentor said.
“We cannot afford to lose, ito na. Kung nanalo kami, aakyat kami at maka-separate kami. Siguro baka gisingin ko rin sila,” he concluded.
