UAAP Commissioner Ato Badolato considers Kiefer Ravena a good actor, but his opinion has nothing to do with the Ateneo star's performance in the latest Nike ad campaign or a TV commercial for a muscle pain reliever.
Rather, Badolato was pertaining to Ravena's ability to 'sell' calls to the referees.
Short of branding one of college basketball's best players as a 'diver' or 'flopper' in football parlance, Badolato mentioned Ravena's good acting skills as he discussed the disqualifying fifth foul committed by University of Santo Tomas center Karim Abdul on, you guessed it, Ravena late in Game One on Saturday.
Badolato explained that the referees were right to call a foul on Abdul in the play but mentioned Ravena being a "very good actor" as another reason why the men in gray shirts blew their whistles on the play.
“We have reviewed the tape and the hand of Abdul got all ball but his elbow caught the body of Kiefer. And you know, Kiefer is a very good actor, he managed (to get) a foul (called),” said Badolato.
"There really was a foul so we can’t penalize the officials for that."
The late Abdul foul had been one of the main points contested by UST coach Pido Jarencio following the Tigers' 78-83 loss, and he, too, alleged that Ravena's antics influenced the referees to make the call.
"Alam mo naman si Ravena, di pa tinatamaan naggaga-ganyan na," said Jarencio as he proceeded to mimic the Ateneo guard's antics during games.
Even with the controversy, Badolato said that there won’t be any changes to how the series will be officiated.
“(Referees) will be watching the movements of everyone just like an ordinary game,” said Badolato.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
