NORMAN Black is both perplexed and frustrated that an import of Tony Bishop’s caliber has not been getting the calls in Meralco games in the PBA Governors Cup.
To stress his point, the coach said Bishop getting to the free-throw line three times in the team’s last three outings is "pretty amazing."
“He’s been to the lines three times in three games,” said the Meralco coach. “It’s not like he’s shooting all jump shots because he does go to the basket, and for some reason, he’s not getting calls.”
Not that Black is making excuses, but Bishop not getting to the foul line more often had been a major factor in the Bolts losing their last three games in which they failed to sustain a big lead.
That happened against Alaska, Magnolia, and just last Saturday, opposite San Miguel Beer in which Meralco lost grip of a 26-point advantage in the third period and went on to lose to the Beermen, 115-110.
Zero free throws
Bishop didn’t take a single free throw in the Bolts’ 94-93 loss to Alaska, and trooped to the foul line just once in an 88-85 setback against Magnolia.
He was in the free throw line twice against San Miguel.
As baffled as Black is with Bishop failing to get the calls from game officials, he also find it hard to accept the Bolts always getting into early foul trouble whenever they were holding double-digit leads.
“For some reason, we can’t stop fouling in the third quarter. This is the second game in a row that we caught so many fouls in the third quarter. It slowed the game down, gave them some opportunity to use the foul line to comeback,” said the Meralco coach about how things began to unravel for his team against the Beermen.
“Considering that you have such a big lead, there’s really no reason to foul,” added Black.
“I’ll watch the game again. (But) I don’t really know whether all those were fouls or, I don’t have idea what’s going on with that. That’s the second game in a row that in the third quarter we have a very decent lead and for some reason, guys were getting into foul trouble, and eventually you have to take them out.”
Against Magnolia, Chris Banchero was the one who got into early foul trouble, while with San Miguel, it was Chris Newsome.
Black noted Newsome had been doing a very good job defensively against San Miguel import Shabazz Muhammad until he was whistled for his fourth personal foul.
With Newsome being recalled to the bench, the 29-year-old Muhammad got into the groove and began shooting the lights out at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Muhammad fired 24 points during the third quarter and 21 in the final period to lead the Beermen’s mighty comeback.
“He’s (Newsome) the one actually who’s gotten Shabazz. He’s doing a pretty decent job in the first half. And after he picked up his fourth foul in the third quarter, Shabazz really got going and we can’t slow him down anymore.”
Black said he plans to seek an audience with the Commissioner’s Office regarding the matter.
“I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t control that part of the game, I don’t control the administrator of that part of the game as far as the referees are concerned,” he added.
The three straight losses definitely, hurt Meralco’s chance of earning an outright berth in the playoffs.
With a 6-4 record in a tie with Alaska for fourth to fifth place, the Bolts need to win their final game against Phoenix Fuel Masters to make it to the next round, and hope for the Aces to lose against league leader Magnolia to have a shot at a twice-to-beat edge in the quarterfinals.
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