TNT-Ginebra rematch ordered

In the PBA, the referee’s decision isn’t always final.

Citing a glaring technical error, which he said altered the outcome of the game, PBA commissioner Noli Eala yesterday nullified Ginebra’s controversial double-overtime victory over Talk N Text last week in the All-Filipino Cup at Araneta Coliseum.

And while hoping that he wouldn’t have to make the same decision again, the young PBA commissioner immediately ordered a rematch between the two teams on April 22. With the decision, Ginebra now stands with a 2-3 win-loss record and Talk N Text at 2-2.

Talk N Text board representative Ricky Vargas welcomed the commissioner’s decision, saying it gave credence on their protest.

"A technical error was committed, leading to a judgment call, which compels the nullification of the game and the ordering of a replay," said Eala while gracing the weekly PSA Forum at the Manila Pavilion, four days after the 58-minute contest won by Ginebra, 122-117.

The match went into a second overtime after the referees nullified a tip-in by Talk N Text center Asi Taulava, although it was later established through slo-mo replays that there was still a fraction of a second left on the game clock when the shot was converted.

"The judgment error of the game officials transformed into a technical error," the PBA commissioner pointed out.

After Taulava made the shot, referees Boy Cruz, Wilbert Culanag and Jose Calungcaguin huddled at center court but disagreed on whether to count the basket. Cruz, the crew chief, however, decided to nullify the basket after he made an eye contact with the timekeeper and decided that the latter signaled that the basket should not count.

Apparently, the timekeepers also had a different views with the one handling the 24-second shot clock indicating that the basket should have been counted, meaning Talk N Text should have been awarded an outright victory.

"There was a disagreement among the referees during their huddle and yet, the crew chief did not approach the table officials. Therefore, the error altered the outcome of the game," added the PBA commissioner who came up with the decision after a marathon meeting with his staff Monday evening.

Nullified together with Ginebra’s victory were Eric Menk’s and Jimmy Alapag’s huge stats in the contest. Menk established a new league season high and tied his personal all-time best 45 points while Alapag tallied 40 points and 14 rebounds – numbers which should have made him the leader both in scoring (21.4) and assist (7.6).

With the nullification, Alapag (16.8) stays at No. 5 in scoring behind Jun Limpot (20.8), Kenneth Duremdes (20), Dennis Espino (18.8) and Mark Caguioa (18).

To prevent a repetition of the incident, Eala said the PBA will soon implement the instant replay rule to help the referees decide on questionable last-second baskets–whether on the shot clock or the game clock itself. Incidentally, the NBA has started using the instant replay this season.

"If we can do it right away, if we can do it starting on Sunday, we will. It’s just a matter of having the equipment ready," he said.

"We are beginning to sense its necessity. What we’re doing right now is to make the referees guess (in instance like this) and hope that they make the right guess. Therefore, applying the instant replay would help them make the right decision in the future."

Eala said officials of both teams have accepted the decision.

"It (ordering a replay) was a difficult decision on my part. But still, we cannot grant the Talk N Text request for a reversal of the outcome," said Eala, adding that the PBA has yet to decide on whether they would impose fines or sanctions on the game officials, the referees in particular.

Eala, however, said Talk N Text governor Ricky Vargas might be fined for his fiery verbal attack on the officiating exclusively reported by The STAR.

"It was a knee-jerk reaction brought about by the passion of the game. But it’s not an excuse for anyone, whether rightly or wrongly, to use the bar of public opinion to sway or coerce the office of the commissioner and react in a certain way. This will not be tolerated and we will deal with this accordingly," said Eala.

It wasn’t the first time that a PBA game was ordered replayed. In fact, there had been five reported cases, the last one coming more than a decade ago under then commissioner Rudy Salud, and involving Purefoods after it had supposedly won a game on a buzzer-beating triple that the referees counted.

Talk N Text returns to action today, taking on Shell in the Samsung All-Filipino Cup eliminations at the Makati Coliseum. Alaska Milk and Red Bull, co-leaders in their respective groups, clash in the other game.