ALREADY without an import, one crucial call made it even worse for NLEX.
Yeng Guiao referred to the foul whistled on rookie Kyles Lao as a ‘really bad call’ which cost the Road Warriors an 83-79 loss against NorthPort Saturday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Lao was called for a slight bump call on Nico Elorde in the final 52 seconds and the Road Warriors down by just a point.
Guiao disputed the call and earned a technical foul in the process. Elorde missed the technical free throw and then split his two foul shots that made it a 79-77 NorthPort lead.
The NLEX mentor said the call cost NLEX the game.
“I don’t think the foul on Kyles Lao was something that you should call on a situation like that,” said Guiao afterwards. “I’m not surprised that people are complaining about the officiating.
“My problem with that call is Eric (Castro) justified it. I think that’s stupidity. They justified it by saying there was contact. The problem is, not all contacts are foul. So to me that is a stupid way to justify that.”
Guiao went out of his way and stressed that Sean Anthony has repeatedly been climbing over the back of Kenneth Ighalo and yet, no foul has been called on the NorthPort wingman.
“They did not call that but they called on an itchy-bitchy physical contact. So to me that’s not justifiable,” said the NLEX coach.
Despite suffering the team’s second straight loss, Guiao was very much satisfied with the way the Road Warriors kept the game close despite playing without an import in Tony Mitchell.
‘I’m actually happy with our effort. We played without an import but we had a chance to win the game in the last one or two possessions,” said Guiao
Mitchell, the team's original choice as import, failed to suit up after failing to complete his documentation in time for the game against the Batang Pier.
Mitchell, who previously suited up for TnT Katropa and Magnolia, was coming in to take over the place of Cyrus Washington.
But Guiao said he expects Mitchell, who already practiced with the team, to suit up in the Road Warriors’ next game against Alaska on Wednesday.
“We were hoping that he could finish his documentations pero hindi umabot, so Wednesday na lang,” added the NLEX mentor.
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