NBA referee offers services to PBA

MANILA, Philippines - Veteran NBA referee Jim Capers Sr. is eager to reconnect with the PBA and has offered his services to commissioner Sonny Barrios in what appears to be a timely development considering the evolving philosophy of officiating in the league.

Capers conducted clinics for PBA referees in Manila in 1979, 1981, 1983 and 1994. He also worked PBA championship games in 1981 and 1983 with another NBA referee Lee Jones.

“My goal is to support the PBA’s efforts and increase the overall performance level of its officials,” Capers told The Star in an email yesterday. “I had my first connection with the PBA four years after it was formed. With focus and time, the improvements to quality of play, officiating and promotions could be limitless. If given the chance, I hope to share my passion for the sport as well as my proficiency in officiating development with the PBA which has a special place in my heart.”

Capers was an NBA referee for 23 years and after his retirement in 1993, worked as a group supervisor overseeing 15 NBA officials.

“Having been in the Philippines on four different occasions, I saw the quality of play and officiating improve,” he said. “The game went from borderline amateurish with players pulling pants and fouling players off the ball to a more polished team-oriented one. The officiating saw improvement in that they learned how to curtail that type of play, thus enhancing the quality of play.”

Capers, who worked the 1978 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta with Jake O’Donnell, said he is prepared to spend as much time as necessary to assist the PBA.

“The knowledge and analytical skills that I gained through 23 years of practical on and off-court experience were honed through NBA training,” he continued. “This coupled with the supervisory experience has led me to develop a training program strategy. Integrating the fundamentals of the program would help in all areas of game management, particularly raising officiating, observing and supervising efficiency levels. The time involved would be whatever it took to see progress and fruition of the program.”

Capers said his son Jim Jr., now in his 14th year as an NBA referee, would be available to work with him for the PBA.

As group supervisor of NBA referees, Capers made extensive game tape analysis where he broke down performance of individuals and crews to track consistency and did close monitoring which involved live on-site game evaluation and post-game tape evaluation.

Capers said working games where the likes of Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor and Connie Hawkins played was an unforgettable experience and provided vital lessons in staying focused as a referee.

“My contribution to the progress of officiating in the NBA whether on or off-court was that of a mentor and teacher passing on acquired skills to junior officials to improve the quality of officiating and the NBA game,” he said. “To this day, referees and observers still call and ask for help requesting that I watch a game or view a questionable call.”

Capers said he has fond memories of individuals whom he met in the course of his visits to Manila.

“I will always remember commissioner Leo Prieto, Col. (Mariano) Yenko, Jun Bernardino, Dick Ildefonso, Bobong Velez, Pepito Castro, Crispin Aldiosa, Robert Jaworski, Atoy Co, Ramon Fernandez, Bernie Fabiosa, Abe King, coaches Baby Dalupan and Ed Ocampo and imports Snake Jones and Billy Ray Bates,” he said.

“The teams that come to mind are Crispa, Toyota, San Miguel, Great Taste and Gilbey’s Gin. My internet research keeps me abreast of certain facts about the PBA such as conference changes from three to two, the national team, the current Fiesta Conference and the games against Australia.”