Ref blunders, banned 5 games
Pringle to stay at Globaport, says team
Game Sunday (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 5 p.m. – Meralco vs Rain or Shine (Rain or Shine leads series 1-0)
The PBA has suspended a referee for an officiating blunder during Rain or Shine’s 99-86 victory over Meralco at the start of their best-of-five semifinal series last Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Referee Art Herrera was suspended five game days by the league for “error in mechanics and judgment in changing a call” after he nullified Gabe Norwood’s shot clock-beating triple with 5:35 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Norwood’s three, which would have given ROS a 90-80 lead, was initially ruled good by Herrera, who even held his hands up to indicate that the Painters star was able to release the ball in time.
But as Meralco was inbounding the ball, Bolts Coach Norman Black charged at the table officials and complained that the shot clock had already expired.
That was when Herrera and fellow referees Emy Tankion and Jun Marabe stopped the play.
After consulting with Tankion, Marabe and the table officials, Herrera reversed the call.
A video of the game, however, showed that Norwood was able to beat the clock.
Luckily, the call had little effect on the Elasto Painters, who later extended their lead to double figures.
ROS Coach Yeng Guiao, however, didn’t let that incident go without comment and during the postgame interview he called for improved officiating.
“If this game was close, that would have mattered a lot. We’re just thankful we had a good lead. They have to get themselves in one room and talk on how to improve the officiating,” Guiao said after the game.
The call came days after the league suspended one of the referees in Rain or Shine’s 92-91 victory over Ginebra in the quarterfinals last Saturday when the whistleblowers missed a shot clock violation on Ginebra in the dying seconds.
Instead, referees Peter Balao, Rey Yante and Rommel Gruta allowed the play to continue, enabling Rain or Shine’s Jeff Chan to score an uncontested layup with 4.9 seconds left after stealing the ball from Ginebra import Mike Dunigan. The league didn’t reveal which of the three officials were sanctioned.
Asked about Tuesday’s slip-up, PBA technical consultant Perry Martinez said the referees made a mistake.
“It was a mistake,” Martinez said. “It’s not in the correctible errors, they cannot correct that. Also, the background of the 24-second shot clock is solely a judgment of refs, we have to work on premise.”
A Globalport official yesterday said that prized rookie Stanley Pringle won’t be going anywhere amid rumors that the top overall pick in last year’s draft will be dealt to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel for LA Tenorio.
“We’re not trading Pringle to any team,” Globalport team manager Bonnie Tan said in a statement.
“We’re happy and satisfied with the performance of Pringle. There’s no negotiations undergoing and we will stick with Pringle.”
Tan was reacting to reports of Ginebra’s interest in acquiring the lightning-quick Pringle.
Ginebra is contemplating to overhaul its roster after Frankie Lim was hired to coach the team beginning the season-ending Governors’ Cup.
The Kings had recently traded seldom-used players Dylan Ababou and James Forrester to Barako Bull for a first round draft pick in this year’s draft.
Pringle, 28, missed Globalport’s last three games in the elimination round because of a sprained left ankle. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists during the Commissioner’s Cup.
The Fil-Am guard, who stands at 6-foot-1, is a strong contender for the Rookie of the Year award.
Prior to turning pro, Tenorio was one of the cornerstones of the Harbour Centre franchise that won its first championship in the now-defunct Philippine Basketball League in 2006. The team was also owned by Globalport boss Mikee Romero.
Tan, however, said that the team is not interested in having a reunion with the Gilas Pilipinas guard.