THE PBA Commissioner's Office has summoned Alaska coach Luigi Trillo for confronting members of its technical committee, moments after the Aces' controversial 83-84 loss to San Mig Coffee on Saturday night.
The Alaska coach was left fuming after a potential game-tying free throw by Aces rookie Calvin Abueva in the dying seconds was waived off by the referees after calling a double-lane violation.
The emotions spilled into the hallway leading to the two teams' dugouts as Trillo and his staff were heard angrily confronting technical committee head Ramil Cruz and other officials after the game.
Trillo has been called to appear before Commissioner Chito Salud on Monday for an 11:30 a.m. meeting.
The Aces have also indicated that they will put the game under protest, claiming the referee's mishandling of the play denied the team of a game-tying free throw and a chance to send the game into overtime.
Trillo said the referee's call decided the game's outcome.
“It’s a free throw. Why blow the whistle? Calvin was trying to make the shot. It really just pulled our hearts out and took the game from us,” the Alaska coach said.
"(The PBA is) saying the rule can be made before the shot. Is it really before the shot or after the shot? It’s just hard. We came back from 10 points down and we thought we deserve to go to overtime,” he added.
However, the PBA has stood by the referees, saying the men in gray made the right call.
A text message from the Commissioner's Office sent to Spin.ph cited a PBA rule which reads: "No point can be scored on a lane violation by both teams during a free throw. Hit or miss, a jump ball will result."
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