Word war escalates

As the UAAP men’s varsity title series gets longer, the word war between Ateneo’s Joe Lipa and La Salle’s Franz Pumaren gets hotter.

After the Eagles scored a series’ tying 76-72 victory over the Archers last Thursday, the two coaches entered the busy press room of the Araneta Coliseum 10 minutes apart. And, with tape recorders running, they hurled sarcastic, spiky remarks at each other.

Lipa, known for his volatile temper on the court, was the first to enter the room, being the coach of the winning team. It did not take long for the Ateneo mentor to lash out at the opposing team which, only last Tuesday, had announced that most of its players were hospitalized for "dizziness and flu-like symptoms."

"I really don’t believe that they were in hospital beds. The only time I will believe that is if they are there after this game," said Lipa. "As a coach, I always assume that I will play against a full complement. And we played against a full complement. They were complete except of course for Carlo Sharma, who was suspended."

After the Archers won Game One last Sept. 28, Lipa criticized the referees for poor officiating and was somehow compensated when the UAAP, two days later, slapped a one-game suspension on the La Salle slotman for a punching foul of Ateneo’s Rich Alvarez.

"But I’d like to make it public that my original position was to let Sharma play. All I wanted was for the ABA (Asian Basketball Academy) to be consistent in the application of rules in the UAAP, and that Sharma only be reprimanded. But it was overruled and he was suspended," said Lipa, who was also warned by the UAAP competitions committee for criticizing the referees before the media.

Lipa, however, doesn’t seem to care.

"We won but I think there were still some lapses in the officiating. But the worst was in Game One. There were 23 bad calls and non-calls against us. And if anybody challenges me, I’ll present the tape. You people, if you like to see those non-calls, I’m inviting you to our basketball office," he said.

Danny Jose, the Office of Sports Development director for La Salle, yesterday said they have already agreed on Ateneo’s request to have the decisive Game Three of the UAAP men’s basketball final be played on Oct. 16 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Jose said Bro. Rolly Dizon, their university president, talked to Anton Montinola yesterday morning and told the UAAP president from FEU that if they could have their way, the Archers would want the game to be held this coming Tuesday or Thursday.

But they were later informed that the Araneta Coliseum is already booked for Tuesday and that Thursday will fall on Ateneo’s exam week, leading to a compromise date of Oct. 16 — exactly 18 days after Game One was played.

"It’s okay with us. It’s a good compromise," said Dizon, who added that the long break will give the Archers enough time to recover from sickness caused by the alleged mysterious virus that hit the team during practice last week at La Salle Greenhills.

Then it was Pumaren’s turn.

"What’s the point for them to say that my players were not hospitalized? I want to know. In fact, two days kami walang practice. The last two days wala kaming na-accomplish. Puro walk-through lang," said Pumaren after the Archers lost to the Eagles for the first time in four games this season.

"And I couldn’t understand them. Now, Ateneo is complaining (about the schedule of Game Three) because it’s their exam week. If that’s going to be the reason, di sana noong exam week namin hindi din kami naglaro. Di ba? It was September, may stretch din kami noon but did we reason out? Hindi," he said.

Pumaren later said that making excuses is not his cup of tea. Then he rattled off a litany of complaints.

"How can the referees give Ateneo 40 free throws (of which 25 were converted against La Salle’s 10-of-15)? One touch, foul. One touch, foul. There was a drive by Willy Wilson, there was contact... no call. Mike Cortez drove to the basket when the game was close and there was contact. But was there a whistle? Wala. Kami kaunting touch, foul. Kaunting touch, foul.

"But I won’t write the board about it. I won’t mention about the spotty officiating," he said.

On Sharma’s suspension, Pumaren did have a lot to say.

"During the deliberation, I told them that what Enrico Villanueva did on Manny Ramos (also in Game One), a karate chop, was even more dangerous. But did they listen to that? How can we win in the deliberations when one of the officials there was clapping for Ateneo in Game One. How can you get a fair decision on that one? He’s not an ABA official but a member of the technical committee. Sino ba yung nakaupo near our bench na pumapalakpak for Ateneo? I just kept quiet and ako pa ang masama."

That Lipa didn’t want Sharma suspended, Pumaren replied: "Oh, I’m touched."

The La Salle coach was getting up from his chair when asked to comment on Ateneo’s Rich Alvarez winning a second straight MVP award.

"I don’t know their manner of selection. But I’ll throw back the question to you. Was the MVP this year consistent throughout the season?" he said.