The PBA has suspended two referees who called Game 3 of the Governors’ Cup quarterfinal series between Converge and San Miguel on Monday.
Peter Balao and Joel Baldago are barred from officiating for one to two rotations for the miscommunication on the call against Alec Stockton early in the encounter that saw the FiberXers eke out the 114-112 victory.
Stockton was initially called for a flagrant foul penalty two (F2) as reviews showed that he elbowed counterpart Kris Rosales in the jaw.
The two had gotten into a heated battle with only six-tenths of a second left in the first quarter.
An F2 infraction is an automatic ejection from the game. But shortly after the announcement, the refs “clarified” that it was only a flagrant one on Stockton.
Instead of being tossed out, Stockton was only forced to sit out for three basketball minutes, preventing Converge from missing its star playmaker.
Stockton would go on to save his team by beating the final buzzer with a jumper, completing the comeback from as much as 27 points down as they avoided a sweep and extended the series to at least one more game.
Following this decision of the Commissioner’s Office, a total of three referees have been slapped with suspensions over the past 48 hours.
Rey Yante is suspended for the rest of the conference for failing to call a goaltending violation on Jhonard Clarito late in Rain or Shine’s emotional 111-106 overtime victory over Magnolia in Game 3 of their best-of-five battle.
