MPBL management will need to find a “filler” activity in the scheduled double-eader at the Lagao Gymnasium in General Santos City on Saturday night, since a second game won't happen.
Sources told SPIN.ph that no matter how hard MPBL officials tried to persuade the management of Caloocan, the Batang Kankaloo will not show up for their 7 p.m. game against the Binan Tatak Gel Beast, which is supposed to follow the opening match between the Gensan Warriors and the Quezon Huskers.
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The MPBL team, currently one of the top teams in the North Division with an 18-3 win-loss record (20-3 if you count victories over banished teams Iloilo and Bacolod), later made the no-show official with a social media post.
The statement, however, didn't state any reason behind the decision.
So what's the reason?
Caloocan, sources said, is still furious over what it claimed were 15 wrong calls by the referess during a 82-85 loss to the Gensan Warriors last August 11.
“Wala, hindi kami sisipot. Made up na ang decision ng management. Sign of protest yung gagawin namin,” said the Caloocan insider who requested anonymity.
The Batang Kankaloo coaching staff and management revealed they've been asking MPBL management, led by former Talk n’ Text reserve guard and now commissioner Emmerson Oreta, to conduct a deeper probe into the controversial game.
“We just wanted clarification and the side of the MPBL regarding our complaint, we showed them videos of the controversial calls, we wrote them a letter, they suspended the referees for two weeks, after that nakabalik ulit. Bakit ganun?” said the source.
“Ang gusto lang namin malaman, okay suspended ng two weeks, nakabalik na. Ano ang prosesong dinaanan ng mga referees na 'yun? Nag-seminar ba ulit? Nag-schooling ba? Paano yan babalik na naman sila sa dating pituhan nila? Kawawa ang mga teams,” he added.
The Batang Kankaloo official also reiterated that the MPBL must carefully assess its referees’ handling of the games especially in crucial ones like the match against Gensan.
“Fighting for top seed kami dun, tapos natalo kami ng ganun. Tapos sasabihin nila sa review nila napanood nila talo talaga kami. But they suspended the referees. So, may problema talaga,” he said.
“Ang sa amin lang, okay kami matalo pero 'yung alam namin na patas ang naging tawagan. Imagine 15 wrong calls by refs, three points lang talo namin. If you know your math, alam mong may mali,” he said.
Meanwhile, another source told SPIN.ph that it will be impossible for Caloocan to field in a team to Lagao as they already allowed their players to take a break to their different provinces before they return to practice on Monday in preparation for their game against defending champion Abra Solid North Weavers on September 10 at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan.
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