NARDS Pinto was left wondering why veteran San Miguel Beer guard Chris Ross got away with incessant complaining in Game 4 of their PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinal playoff against Barangay Ginebra.
The Ginebra guard lamented the perceived leeway the referees gave the 41-year-old Ross in the Beermen’s 108-102 win Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Sa akin lang naman, si Chris Ross grabeng umangal. Walang warning,” Pinto pointed out. “Pero kapag kami ang umangal, warning agad.”
READ Feeling disrepected, Ross says verbal spat vs Racela fired him up
Likewise, that was the same issue being raised apparently by deputy coach Olsen Racela on the referees at halftime against Ross.
Racela, a former star player of San Miguel, was telling game officials about Ross’ antics, which the former Defensive Player of the Year overheard, eventually leading to a verbal confrontation between the two.
The 36-year-old Pinto came off the bench and finished with four points and three assists in spearheading the Kings’ rally from 19-points down in the fourth quarter to threaten at 105-102 in a comeback that just fell short in the endgame.
The Ginebra guard also cited the case of San Miguel import George King, who was whistled for an offensive foul at the five-minute mark and Ginebra trailing, 101-89.
He claimed no warning or a technical was called on King, who stepped on his foot and lightly threw the ball at him following the contact.
“Inapakan niya yung paa ko, tapos binato ako ng bola. Paano kapag ako ang gumawa nun sa import, di ba? Fair lang sana tayo,” said Pinto, who had a heated exchange with King following that strong push by the San Miguel import.
Again, Pinto said he’s not complaining about the officiating, but just raising concerns especially in a heated best-of-five series such as this one.
But he did praise the Beermen for completing an amazing comeback after trailing by as many as 17 points in the third quarter.
‘Good job naman sila,” he humbly acknowledged.
Game 5 is set on Tuesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, with the winner advancing to face defending champion TNT in the semifinals.
“Lalaruin na lang namin. It’s a 50-50 game,” said Pinto.
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