SAN Sebastian head coach Egay Macaraya hit out at what he felt was inconsistency in officiating in the NCAA Season 98, pointing out the perceived difference in how their games were officiated over the past week.
Speaking after their pulsating 57-56 win over Mapua, Macaraya couldn’t help but wonder how things have changed since their 100-94 loss against College of St. Benilde last Friday, a loss that he put on the referees.
"We cannot play good basketball if they were calling the fouls kahit na ganun kanipis e. Yun ang naging problema, hindi naman mga bata. How can we play good, hard basketball when they’re calling soft plays? Ang nipis naman. Yun ang aking ibig sabihin, ganun ang nangyari samin,” Macaraya said.
[READ: Stags survive wobbly finish to turn back Cardinals]
"Ngayon, they let go of a lot of calls, nakita naman natin kung paano humawak ang Mapua, nakita din naman natin kung gaano kami ka-pisikal, then it’s a nice game.”
In the Benilde game, both teams were called for 59 fouls and shot a combined 73 free throws, with Raymart Escobido, Jesse Sumoda and Alex Desoyo all fouling out.
In this game against the Cardinals, only 36 fouls were called, with both squads also combining for 37 free-throw attempts altogether.
For Macaraya, all he asks is consistency, especially after the commissioner promised to allow a little bit of physicality.
“Sabi ni commissioner I will let you play, I will let you play, pero paano yun? Yung kabila ganun tapos manipis naman yung iba? That’s not right. Paano naman kami maganahan maglaro, at that time, [tatlo] ang fouled out sa amin. What kind of foul?” Macaraya said.
“Pero nakita niyo yung laro ngayon, natumba na nga e, pero di pa tinatawagan ng referee because that’s what they want, that’s what the audience wants to see in the NCAA. Yun ang nangyari e, pero yung last game namin against Benilde, yun ang nangyari.”
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