Confusion ensued midway through the second frame of TNT Katropa’s Game Four win over the San Miguel Beermen on Wednesday night.
With the Katropa up 41-40 with about five minutes remaining in the half, Kelly Williams was pickpocketed by Alex Cabagnot. However, the game’s referee blew a whistle, halting all but one player. As nine players on the court stopped wondering about what call was made, Arwind Santos leaked out for an easy two points that gave San Miguel a one-point cushion.
It infuriated everyone from the Katropa bench, including the team’s brass. Team governor Patrick Gregorio and team manager Virgil Villavicencio would continue to contest what happened until halftime.
And after TNT’s 102-97 win, first-year head coach Nash Racela raised a few points about the incident.
“I don’t know how you can do that,” the outspoken mentor said.
Normally, if an inadvertent whistle was called, the official who committed the error would stop play to restore order. This time though play resumed.
“Sa aking pagkakaalam, if there’s an inadvertent whistle, habulin mo dapat and not let them have the two points na makaka-dunk pa sila because it’s a game-changer,” Racela expressed.
Racela knows that officiating is a job prone to human error. However, he hopes that officials would own up to it, especially if it’s a glaring one.
“I understand that sometimes referees would commit mistakes intentional or not. But, kung nagkamali ka na, correct the issue,” Racela pleaded. “We heard it from the other side e and in a noisy coliseum. E di habulin mo na lang and not give them the two points.
“I don’t know what he was thinking.”
