PBA’s first woman referee makes debut

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Basketball Association wrote a new chapter in its storied history by fielding its first ever woman referee during the opener of the 2016 PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday night.

Janine Nicandro worked the Meralco-Phoenix game with Nol Quilinguen, Jimmy Mariano and Sherwin Pineda and thus made history as the first woman referee to officiate in the league’s 41-year history.

The Pagsanjan, Laguna native, a Laguna State Polytechnic U marketing graduate, had been in the PBA D-League for three years before graduating to the PBA.

In her first PBA game, Nicandro called a technical foul on Phoenix’s Mark Borboran. The Bolts outlasted the Fuel Masters, 108-103.