Knocked out of series, Chua raps officiating

Some two weeks after coaches Yeng Guiao of Red Bull and Ryan Gregorio of Purefoods scored the PBA officiating, another mentor in Alfrancis Chua of Sta. Lucia Realty dredged up the same issue the morning after losing a knockout game versus Barangay

Ginebra Sunday night.

"If we (coaches) can’t control them (the referees) and they (league officials) can’t control them either, paano na ang PBA?" said Chua, insinuating officiating in the league has gone below par.

"Sana naman may gawin sila dito. Dahil kung walang mangyayari, kawawa naman hindi lang ang liga at ang mga teams. Kawawa rin ang PBA fans," Chua added.

The outspoken Sta. Lucia mentor said he reviewed the Sta. Lucia-Ginebra game over and over, and saw at least six crucial wrong calls that went against them in the last four minutes of play, hastening their loss in the knockout tiff for the eighth and last slot in the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Conference quarterfinals.

Ginebra completed a come-from-behind 108-105 win in the game to gain the right to join San Miguel Beer, Alaska Milk, Coca-Cola, Talk n Text, Red Bull Barako, the US Pro-Am Selection and the University of British Columbia squad from Canada in the quarters.

The referees who officiated the game were Boy Cruz, Mario Montiel and Throngy Aldava.

Chua mentioned what he thought was a hacking foul on a driving Derrick Brown in the closing seconds that forced the prolific import to kick the ball out to teammate Kenneth Duremdes in the wing. Duremdes’s three-point try rimmed out and the Realtors eventually kissed their quarters hopes good bye.

"Nahawakan si Brown kaya pinasa kay Kenneth. Eh, hindi naman nagpapasa iyon kapag naka-drive na," said Chua.

Chua also mentioned what he thought an offensive foul by Torraye Braggs on Marlou Aquino which the referees let go and a questionable foul called on Chris Tan against a three-point shooting Mark Caguioa.

"Sabi ni (PBA technical chief) Perry (Martinez) ni-review niya ang game at tingin niya okay naman daw ang tawagan. Kung ganon, eh, I respect his opinion," said Chua.

But Chua stressed his observation that some referees are not only working up to par but misbehaving as well.

"Noong game namin versus Shell, may isang referee kitang-kita ko dinabugan yung technical officials. Eh, paano iyan kung kaming mga coaches hindi na nirerespeto, pati yung officials hind rin nirerespeto?" said Chua.

Chua is likely to be summoned by league commissioner Noli Eala for his remarks.

Guiao and Gergorio drew fines for scoring the officiating in the media last May 22 even as Eala admitted the referees in their particular game "were consistent in whistling wrong calls."