ANTIPOLO – Magnolia coach Chito Victolero didn’t hide his displeasure to the officiating of Game Three of the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup quarterfinal series especially in the crucial stage of the match that, he felt, cost them a chance to win the game.
Victolero was fuming in approaching the technical committee after Magnolia’s 111-106 overtime defeat over Rain or Shine, a loss which sent them on the ropes and one defeat away from being eliminated in the playoffs.
READ: RoS outlasts Magnolia in wild overtime thriller to take 2-1 lead
The Magnolia coach was upset due to a play in the final seconds of overtime where Zavier Lucero’s lay-up was blocked by Jhonard Clarito with the Hotshots trailing, 106-104.
Magnolia was forced to foul Gian Mamuyac on the next possession, awarding him a trip to the foul line for two free throws.
After the foul, the referees reviewed the Lucero attempt where they call a goaltending violation against Clarito, awarding the two points to Lucero to tie the contest. However, the foul on Mamuyac stood since play continued after the Lucero attempt.
Magnolia never got a decent shot after that as Rain or Shine made the free throws in the end to take Game Three.
Victolero said the non-call was huge, since they would have not fouled Mamuyac had there an initial goaltending violation.
“Siguro nakita niyo naman. It’s obvious. They need to call that. It will decide the game,” Victolero told SPIN.ph minutes after the game.
“Everybody needs to be sharp because all the players, I demand sharpness to all my players. I demand sharpness on all my coaching staff. But it’s obvious that we need to be sharp also on that situation ‘yung mga dapat mag-desisyon kasi it cost us the game.
Not only on our side. It might happen in the future. On Rain or Shine, or in a finals game. It happened to us before. It happened to us again. We have to be sharp in that situation. We need a sharp decision,” he added.
“Okay lang ‘yan kung second quarter, third quarter. That’s last minute, last second, they need to be sharp."
Victolero said instruction to the players on the situation was to foul if the Hotshots missed an attempt as they were down by two points.
“We will not foul kung tinawagan nila ‘yun. That cost us the game. I don’t accept na breaks of the game. It’s not breaks of the game. We all saw it. Everybody saw it. Even the coaches will agree [with] me,” said Victolero.
The Hotshots coach also rued the final moments of regulation where there should still be one second remaining on the clock but game officials decided not to reward the possession, and end the fourth quarter.
“I don’t know the logic there na they reviewed it. And if you see on the replay, walang ilaw sa board. How come na walang natirang oras samantalang hindi umilaw ‘yung board. That’s one thing that they need to review also," he stated.
"You have another chance. One second is one second. I’m not saying that we will make a basket but at least, hindi man one second but there is still time."
Victolero said he felt bad for the team missing the opportunity to win the game since they’ve been working hard for the quarterfinal series that has been grueling.
“’Yung mga plays na ‘yan, hindi ka na natutulog diyan. Halos pinag-aaralan mo ‘yan. It’s very frustrating. We are only sleeping for three, four hours, and my players, they are tired also, they are working hard for this series. ‘Yun lang maglaro ka every other day, sobrang hirap na ‘yun," he said.
"We demand sharpness here kasi sayang, daming nanonood, daming nakakita. We have to give the fans na kung ano ang kailangan nilang makita at mapanood ng maayos. We work hard every game, then ang kapalit lang nun is maybe sharpness."
Victolero made it clear that the controversial seconds of the game doesn’t diminish Rain or Shine’s win and that they will move on from the Game Three defeat.
“A win is a win and congratulations to Rain or Shine. But give us also a chance kung merong maayos na desisyon doon. May chance siguro kami. Pero tapos na ‘yun. We just try to focus on our next game. Hopefully, we can have na mas maayos na desisyon,” said Victolero.
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