FEU accepts junking of protest, but raises more questions

MANILA, Philippines – Though not totally satisfied with the explanation of UAAP Season 77 basketball commissioner Andy Jao in junking their protest and upholding their 64-68 overtime loss to Ateneo, Far Eastern U Tams are moving on from the episode and looking forward to their semis duel with La Salle.

In a letter to UAAP president Carmelita Mateo, FEU athletic director Mark Molina said there were "certain unanswered issues" but "nevetherless, FEU accepts Comm. Jao’s decision" and declared they are "ready to face DLSU at MOA on Sunday."

At the same time, Molina asked the board to "interpret" the rule on video replay, which became a source of dispute in the said game.

"We seek the UAAP Board’s interpretation of the video replay rule which states 'determining whether a shot is a 2 or 3 points will be allowed by reviewing the tapes at the First Dead Ball Opportunity, timeout and before the end of the period concerned.'

"We stress the fact that the rule says “AND” and not “OR”. If the rule means you can review before the end of the period then why was the phrase. “FIRST DEAD BALL OPPORTUNITY” added to the rule? The Board’s guidance regarding the interpretation is very important for future games," Molina wrote.

He asked that the board put this matter on the agenda in its next meeting.

The Tams had placed the said game under protest, claiming there was "misapplication" of the rule on video replay when the referees reviewed and corrected a two-pointer by Ateneo's Von Pessumal three minutes after the basket. They said the rule prescribed "first dead ball opportunity, timeout and before the end of the period."

Jao responded that the process was done "within the rules." He claimed that the referee indicated a triple for the shot but was scored as two by the scorer and wasn't corrected at the soonest possible time because of circumstances. He said they were "calling the attention of the referees but it took a while before they eventually came to acknowledge the fact that we should correct it." He maintained they followed the prescribed "before the end of the period."

FEU said Jao didn't satisfactorily answer certain issues.

 "In the attached video of the shot Maynard Ballecer does not raise his two hands. Who said he raised his two hands? If he did raise his two hands, why didn’t the scorer see him? Ballecer was near the half court line and there was no obstruction between him and the scorer," Molina said.

He also took note of the "lack of sense of urgency" on the part of the technical officials to make the correction.

"If Jojo Villa and other members of the Technical Committee immediately knew that it was a three point shot, then the lack of sense of urgency to make the correction is inexcusable. It would have taken less than 30 seconds for a member of the Technical Committee to go to the scorer’s table and have the buzzer pressed on the first dead ball opportunity. Letting 3 minutes of game time (or more than 10 minutes of actual time) pass before correcting an error should not happen in a league with the magnitude and stature of the UAAP", he added.