REGARDLESS of the result of the UAAP Season 85 men's basketball Finals, officials from the University of the Philippines are hoping officiating in the college league improves moving forward.
UP Maroons team manager Atty. Agaton Uvero said the school's analytics and video teams have collated findings and recommendations on how to improve officiating which they will share with the league at the end of the season.
"I think it is fair to say that all of us in the league believe that there is always room for improvement in the way our games are officiated," he said.
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"We have exciting, fast-paced, and physical games, and we acknowledge that officiating these can be challenging. That's why we hope the UAAP can be open to our recommendations so that we can have better officiated games in the future."
UP has collated observations from its analytics and video team (a-team) and implored other member-schools to do the same to help make the games "fairer and more competitive."
"It only makes sense because the UAAP needs to study these findings and recommendations, and they need time to determine if the recommendations can be applied next season. Even basketball leagues abroad consistently review how their games are officiated, and they regularly revisit their rules to find ways to improve their league. We should be open to doing the same," he said.
Among the matters which the UP's a-team plans to raise are the inconsistencies in: (1) the amount of physicality allowed from game to game; (2) the parameters involved in allowing a coach to interact with game officials or opposing players; (3) bench decorum guidelines; and (4) factors determining unsportsmanlike fouls.
"Fans of the game know that consistency in the application of the rules is the foundation of fairness. You cannot blame them for shouting at the refs when they see their team called for fouls for minimal contact, while other players get away with dirty plays," said Uvero, who also stressed the need for the league to take a "productive and proactive approach" in these matters.
"It should also be incumbent upon us to propose ways to address the officiating issues we have observed."
Uvero added that one of the recommendations that UP will suggest is to have a "transparent, regular review of game officials" as well as an automatic video review of games with regards to the penalties handed.
"The referees cannot catch everything the video cameras do. So if certain players are observed on video to have committed unsportsmanlike actions on the court, they can be sanctioned," he said.
"If the UAAP values sportsmanlike behavior, no one should be allowed to get away with dirty plays."
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