La Salle-AdU Final 4 game refs sacked

MANILA, Philippines — In the wake of public outrage over the way the Final Four duel between La Salle and Adamson was officiated and the subsequent formal protest by the Falcons, the UAAP executive director and commissioner Rebo Saguisag has suspended indefinitely the referees who called the said match.

In his reply to the protest/complaint filed by AdU’s representative to the UAAP board of managing directors Fr. Aldrin Suan Monday night, Saguisag said even though their evaluation is still ongoing, they already cracked the whip on concerned referees Enan Alejo, Ian Borbe and Mollie De Luna.   

“While we’re still in the process of evaluating the whole game, together with the statistics, the officials that worked your game were immediately suspended with two strongly recommended for being banned for the rest of the season, if only to preserve public confidence in our league,” Saguisag wrote.

However, he did not name which two would be suspended longer.

Saguisag stressed that he called for an emergency meeting the very next day “to address the seeming public outrage over the said game” and the result was seen in the F4 showdown between Ateneo and Far Eastern U last Sunday.

“We are with you to avoid duplication and if yesterday’s game (AdMU-FEU) was any indication, it is humbly submitted that we took a step in the right direction,” he said.

The No. 2 Archers beat the No. 3 Falcons last Saturday, 82-75, to advance to the finals but the Adamson camp blasted officiating, ruing the discrepancy in fouls slapped (33 fouls on AdU and 12 on DLSU), and freethrows awarded (39 for DLSU and five for AdU).

“The statistics don’t lie. Watching it either live or on television reveals a dubious officiating by the referees, all in favor of La Salle and prejudicial to Adamson,” Suan wrote. “This free throw bonus helped La Salle passed (sic) Adamson in the fiercely fought game. But in hindsight, the game was marred by a biased refereeing.”

The AdU exec called for a “judicious review of the recording of the match to arrive at an objective resolution of the contention raised” but didn’t request for a “re-play.”

“Lest it be misunderstood, Adamson University is not sour-graping for the loss. The community only clamors for an objective, impartial officiating, all in the name of a decent game,” Suan maintained.