Chris Ross and the San Miguel Beermen had been on the verge of a stunning comeback on Sunday evening as they tried to keep their slate unblemished. However, controversy ensued that ultimately hampered their cause.
After chopping the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s 14-point lead down to just three with 4.5 seconds left on the clock, Sol Mercado was charged with a foul on Chico Lanete. As Chris Ross was waiting at the top of the arc, referee number 17, identified as Noy Guevarra, handed the ball to him. Crazy as it sounds, Ross went to the stripe, muffing the free throw attempt.
San Miguel head coach Leo Austria then called a timeout as confusion ensued. This gave the game officials a chance to talk about the scenario. As Ross pleaded his case, the referees slapped a technical on him due to a new rule by the league if a scenario like this arises.
LA Tenorio eventually converted the free throws, while Chico Lanete split his charities. Ginebra won the game 100-96.
In another innovation by Commissioner Willie Marcial, PBA Deputy Director of Basketball Operations Eric Castro will be invited to the press room to discuss technicalities of league rules if controversy arises.
Castro explained the league rule with regards to that situation.
“A player who deliberately takes the place of the designated free throw shooter shall be given a delay of game warning. That was before,” Castro said. “Then we changed that rule last December dahil we had an experience before some of the players, ‘pag mahina, poor free throw shooter, na teammate nila, pupwesto sila to take their place. So we countered that.
“A player who deliberately takes the place of the designated free throw shooter, shall be given a delay of game warning if the free throw has not been attempted. Any succeeding similar offense shall be result in an unsportsmanlike technical foul. If the free throw has been attempted by the wrong shooter the player shall be assessed an unsportsmanlike technical foul.”
A replay on the screen showed that Guevarra had handed the ball to Ross. Castro countered that the honesty system must take place.
“To be honest, meron din kami siguro fault nun dun sa referees namin. I won’t deny it. But again, the players know… alam nila kung sino shooter talaga,” the soft-spoken official expressed.
And the official that made the error will be summoned by the league because of it.
“We’ll talk about it.”
