THERE was no doubt in LA Tenorio’s mind that Stanley Pringle committed a five-second violation in the final moment of Ginebra’s heartbreaking 84-83 overtime loss to GlobalPort in their knockout game on Sunday for a berth in the Smart Bro-PBA Philippine Cup semifinals.
Unfortunately, game officials didn’t make any call, allowing the Batang Pier to escape with the victory and a first-ever trip to the Final Four.
By Tenorio’s estimate, Pringle should have been called for ball hugging, not to mention the Globalport sophomore guard also committed a backing violation with eight seconds left in the extra period and the Kings trailing by a point.
“Sa tingin ko five seconds. Bilang na bilang naman, obviously sa oras naman. And I saw him even step sa halfcourt, maybe backing violation pa nga,” said the heady point guard, who finished with 18 points while going 5-of-8 from three-point range.
“Kaya lang di tumawag e.”
[See Protest an option for Ginebra as netizens agree refs blundered on Pringle non-call]
Pringle was double-teamed by Sol Mercado and Greg Slaughter the moment he got the ball from Jay Washington off an inbound by Joseph Yeo.
Tenorio said that was specifically the plan – trap Pringle at half court.
“Yun ang gusto talaga naming gawin (trapping). Pag na-trap, no foul,” he recalled of the Kings’ last play. “E di tumawag ng five seconds. Ganun talaga breaks of the game.”
[See Devance pleads for calm amid reports GlobalPort players pelted with coins outside arena]
But at the same time, the former Ateneo star also stressed the outcome of the match should not have gone to such extent if the Kings played smart basketball throughout.
“Sana hindi na umabot sa ganun kundi rin sa mga lapses namin,” Tenorio added.
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