Refs did a creditable job - Badolato
UAAP commissioner Ato Badolato defended his game officials amid strong criticisms hurled by University of Santo Tomas coach Pido Jarencio, insisting “they performed a creditable job” in the finals opener won by four-time defending champion Ateneo 83-78 last Saturday.
Taking centerstage in the weekly PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate on Tuesday, Badolato stressed the referees have “fairly officiated the game and there were no calls that would've altered the outcome. The referees performed a creditable job in that game.”
Once a multi-titled coach with San Beda High School, Badolato surely knows where Jarencio and Ateneo counterpart Norman Black are coming from, adding: “I understand the rants of the coaches. I was a coach once. Coaches are under tremendous pressure.”
While the Blue Eagles whooped it up before a jampacked MOA Arena crowd, Jarencio was seen confronting the referees and readily expressed his displeasure with the officiating at the press room.
“Niyari kami. Ang ninipis ng tawag, ang kakapal ng mukha,” he bewailed.
Jarencio has strongly contested the foul called on import Karim Abdul, who tried to swipe the ball away from Kiefer Ravena, and the failure of the referees to send Jeric Teng to the charity stripe despite getting fouled by Ryan Buenafe in the dying moments.
Badolato stuck with the call against Abdul, stating: “We reviewed the tape and while Abdul’s hand got all ball, his elbow caught the body of Kiefer. And you know Kiefer is a very good actor so he managed to get the foul. There really was a foul.”
With the sudden commotion and the result was already beyond doubt, Badolato opted to put the referees in safer grounds, saying: “Pido was already confronting the referees and people were all over the court. So I decided not to award the free throws anymore. Had it been a three-point lead we would have awarded it. But it was a five-point lead. We would have more trouble doing that (clearing the court).”
The tirade of Jarencio clearly caught the attention of Black on Monday, with the American mentor stressing: “I don’t think it’s correct to make statements publicly if you don’t have the facts to back it up.”
“He’s trying to put a cloud on the series. What he’s trying to point out is that, if they lose, that’s because of the officiating. If they win, it’s because of them. Maybe, he’s just trying to force the referees to make favorable calls in Game 2.That’s just pretty ridiculous,” he added.
The word war between the two mentors is expected to bring the intensity to greater heights when Ateneo goes for the clincher on Thursday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
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