University of the Philippines is doing its part in helping improve the officiating in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
After the Season 85 Men’s Basketball Tournament, UP will be sharing the results and recommendations of its analytics and video team (a-team) with the league as the school belives that all eight member-schools should help in improving the league.
“We have exciting, fast-paced, and physical games, and we acknowledge that officiating these can be challenging. That is why we hope the UAAP can be open to the recommendations of our a-team so that we can have better-officiated games in the future,” said UP MBT team manager Agaton Uvero.
“Even basketball leagues abroad consistently reviews how their games are officiated, and they regularly revisit their rules to find ways to improve their league. We should be open to doing the same.”
The reason for UP sharing the information they gathered with the league after the season instead of prior to Game Three on Monday is that they don’t want to give “undue pressure to the league officials and referees.”
“It only makes sense because the UAAP needs to study these findings and recommendations, and they need time to determine if the recommendations can be applied next season,” he added.
According to Uvero, there are four inconsistencies they found in officiating.
First is the amount of physicality allowed from game to game.
In addition, UP wants to clarify the parameters involved in allowing a coach to interact with game officials or opposing players and proper bench decorum guidelines.
Finally, they want the officials to be consistent with the factors determining unsportsmanlike fouls.
“Fans of the game know that consistency in the application of the rules is the foundation of fairness. You cannot blame them for shouting at the refs when they see their team called for fouls for minimal contact, while other players get away with dirty plays,” said Uvero.
“It should also be incumbent upon us to propose ways to address the officiating issues we have observed.”
One of the proposals Uvero and his team are proposing is having transparency with regard to the reviews made by the league’s officials after gamedays.
“The referees cannot catch everything the video cameras do. So if certain players are observed on video to have committed unsportsmanlike actions on the court, they can be sanctioned,” he said.
“If the UAAP values sportsmanlike behavior, no one should be allowed to get away with dirty plays.”
