UAAP to review tape on irate Pido

MANILA, Philippines - University of Santo Tomas coach Pido Jarencio’s behavior after Game 1 of the UAAP Season 75 men’s basketball finals is being reviewed by the commissioner’s office to determine if it merits possible sanction.

“I still have to review the tape again,” commissioner Ato Badolato said a day after the opener of the best-of-three title series where defending champion Ateneo prevailed over the Tigers, 83-78, at a jampacked MOA Arena.

Jarencio did not like the way the game was officiated and made his feelings known by running after one referee and angrily confronting him after the game. The UST mentor protested about the fifth foul called against Karim Abdul which he perceived was a clean a swipe on a dribbling Kiefer Ravena and the decision not to award Jeric Teng with three free throws despite getting fouled at the buzzer.

“He (Jarencio) may get a warning but still, that depends on the board,” Badolato said when asked what sanction, if any, awaits Jarencio.

The UST mentor had asked for a fair shake in officiating even before the finals and echoed the same plea after the heartbreaking loss Game 1. They did not file a formal protest.

He did admit, however, that Ateneo’s championship experience was a factor in that game.

“Yung Ateneo, apat na taong nasa championship yan, kung experience pag-uusapan, andyan na yan. Eh kami, unang taon pa lang ng mga bata. Okay na rin yun, ngayon na-experience na rin nila maglaro sa championship, mas mababa na ang pressure sa next game (Ateneo has experienced playing in the championship the last four years whereas we are only on our first trip. Now they experienced how it is playing in the championship, something that will help us in the next game),” said Jarencio.

The Blue Eagles will seek to close it out on Thursday and complete their five-peat, the longest winning streak since University of the East’s seven consecutive diadems in 1965-71. The revenge factor is also there as the Eagles aim to give the team that dealt them a bitter finals loss in 2006 a payback.

“It (Game 2) should be another good game. I expect them to bounce back,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black, looking to give the school one more title before leaving the job.

“Wala naman kaming gagawin kundi bumawi (We have nothing else to do but bounce back),” said Jarencio of Game 2. “Sana lang iyung referees bumawi rin (I hope the referees will make up, too).”