A PIECE of action that became known as 'phantom punch' during the opening day of the National Basketball League (NBL) President’s Cup has taken the internet by storm.
The incident in a game between the Quezon Barons and the Laguna Pistons at the Bulacan Provincial Capitol Gymnasium started with Quezon’s Arvine Calucin battling Laguna’s Mark Daquis for position underneath the basket after a three-point attempt at the 7:42-mark of the fourth quarter.
As the shot went in, the next video sequence showed Daquis crashing to the floor, writhing in pain and holding on to his jaw in what most people inside the stadium felt was an apparent blindside hit by Calucin.
Referees stopped play as Laguna staff checked on the fallen Daquis while an incredulous Calucin pleaded his case, claiming innocence.
Turned out Calucin was speaking the truth.
Television replays shown in the big screen inside the gym vindicated Calucin, who did swing his right arm during the play but never came close to hitting Daquis in the face or in any part of his body.
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Shock soon turned into laughs over the 'phantom punch' that decked Daquis, who remained emotionless - and unrepentant - to the end.
No penalty was called on any of the involved parties in what was later ruled as an inadvertent whistle by the referees.
Daquis ended up victorious as the Pistons beat the Barons, 101-94, but the viral video - shared more than 27,000 times on social media - condemned him to suffer the ignominy of committing one of the worst flops in recent memory.
Poetic justice.
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