By upholding the Warriors protest, the Board–in effect–ruled that UE and FEU will slug it out in a playoff today to determine the No. 2 team. The match is critical because the winner gains a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four. The same teams, incidentally, will square off in one of two Final Four pairings so today’s contest is a sort of teaser–a prelude to the bigger confrontation ahead. The other pairing pits No. 1 Ateneo versus No. 4 La Salle.
The protest was on a judgment call. The three referees who worked the controversial UE-La Salle game counted a JunJun Cabatu triple at the buzzer to award the Archers a 65-64 win. For La Salle, the game was inconsequential as far as its league standing was concerned–win or lose, the Archers were stuck at No. 4. But the outcome had a bearing on which team La Salle will face in the Final Four.
Ordinarily, a protest cannot overrule a judgment call. But the UAAP Board explained that before the season began, the league had agreed to adopt the rule on the use of the instant replay to review last-second shots at the end of the first and second halves. The National Basketball Association (NBA) adopted the instant replay rule last season and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), this year.
In both the NBA and PBA, the instant replay review is triggered automatically–meaning, not at the discretion of the officials or teams. Once the replay is triggered, the officials will review the instant replay to determine whether time on the game clock had expired before the ball left the shooter’s hand. The replay may also be used to determine if the field goal was scored correctly as a two-point or three-point shot, whether the shooter committed a boundary line violation when he released the ball and whether a 24-second clock or eight-second backcourt violation occurred before the shot. Additionally, officials may consult the instant replay machine to check if a foul was made prior to the expiration of time on the game clock–not whether the call itself was correct.
To preserve the integrity of game officials, the instant replay cannot be used to evaluate judgment calls such as which team had the last touch or if a foul was offensive or defensive.
In last Thursday’s game, the referees should’ve referred to the instant replay before counting the basket. The UAAP Board has recognized their mistake and that’s why the arbiters have been banned from working the rest of the season.
The quirk in this situation is whether you like it or not, the referees made a decision they shouldn’t have. Why did they? Did they conveniently forget the "ground rule?" And before even UE protested, why didn’t the Technical Committee do something about the referees’ indiscretion right there and then?
The word in the streets is the UAAP and the National Collegiate Athletic Association are the favorite betting grounds of game fixers, point shavers and unscrupulous gamblers. If that’s true, perhaps there’s more than meets the eye in the referees disregarding the instant replay rule and making a judgment call on Cabatu’s buzzer beater. Perhaps, the UAAP Board should investigate the matter more closely and question the referees on their motive.
UE was favored to win over La Salle so with an Archers’ victory, bettors who went against the odds would’ve made a big killing. An insider said the betting line gave La Salle plus five, meaning a one-point victory wouldn’t have made a difference.
Because the referees made a judgment call, their decision should’ve stuck. That’s how it is in basketball. Their mistake was they didn’t follow the rule on consulting the instant replay–which became the basis for the UAAP Board’s decision to uphold UE’s protest on the principle of right is right.
Anyway you look at it, Cabatu’s shot shouldn’t have counted. And for that reason alone, the UAAP Board–which isn’t a stickler for basketball rules–decided to reverse the referees’ judgment call.
The danger that this precedent sets is the UAAP Board may also take it upon itself to overrule a judgment call–of some other nature, like a last-second foul or a last-touch situation–in the future.
If the Board didn’t uphold the protest, Ateneo and FEU would be playing each other today. That would’ve matched brother against brother. Joel Banal coaches the Blue Eagles and younger brother Coy, the Tamaraws.
Postscript. Alaska guard Jon Ordonio, languishing in the reserve list, is reportedly embarking on a rapping career. He’s joining Dorian Pena and Rob Duat’s brother Rich in recording a hip-hop album. A remix version is being planned with guest artists Francis Magalona and Jaya. Ordonio, whose Fil-Am status is unfairly being questioned, is tipped to rap on the song "Mga Kababayan Ko" ... Derrick Brown leaves for Manila on Tuesday. With Purefoods toting a lowly 1-4 record, it looks like Harold Arceneaux’ days are numbered. Nothing is certain on The Show’s fate but with the Flight flying in, Arceneaux may be on the way out ... Arnel Cruz of arneljcruz@hotmail.com wrote: "No doubt about it, the Lakers will win the NBA title this season with Malone and Payton in the lineup–it will be a grand celebration in June 2004." Rod Ididro of rcisidro@shaw.ca said: "I am a resident of Richmond, BC, Canada, and have already bought tickets to Laker road games nearest me in Seattle and Portland. With the Glove and the Mailman supporting the Dynamic Duo, it will be like having four lethal scoring threats that even Jack Nicholson playing the point won’t diminish the firepower of the team. Molding the egos into a complementary unit is another matter but the rejuvenated and upbeat Phil Jackson will have no problem solving it. Leave the Kobe distraction to the Zen Master." Baby of ybaby46_2000@yahoo.com sent in this note: "Your Is It True article is the best. If it’s true that a PBA team is wracked by internal dissension?–I can name that team."