PBA commissioner upholds Ginebra win over Rain or Shine

PBA IMAGE by Nuki Sabio

MANILA, Philippines — Upon thorough review, PBA Commissioner Chito Salud found no fault in the officiating in the waning seconds of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s controversial 101-100 win over Rain or Shine Saturday night.

The Elasto Painters, headed by their team owner Raymond Yu and their head coach Yeng Guiao, filed a protest over a foul called that gave the Kings three free throws that led to the Gin Kings’ victory with 0.3 tenths of a second remaining but Salud thought otherwise.

“The call that was made by referee Quilinguen on defender Belga as to the contact made by defender Belga on the shooter Baracael in the last two seconds of the game was spot on, that was a correct call, there was contact on the shooter,” Salud explained in a press conference Sunday night.  “The rules provide that any contact on squared up shooter that may have affected the ability of the shooter to make the basket will be called a foul in this regard, referee Quilinguen made the correct call.”

Down two with only a couple of seconds left, Ginebra forward Mac Baracael drew a foul from ROS center Beau Belga as he was taking a three-pointer from the left wing.

Salud also said that Rain or Shine’s protest was rendered invalid because it was submitted after the 12 ‘o clock deadline.

“Having been filed out of time, my office has no recourse but to consider this protest as invalid as such there is no protest for my office to rule on. The result therefore of the game between Ginebra and Rain or Shine stands. Ginebra won that game.”

Salud added that the PBA Office along with the technical committee “took it upon ourselves” to still review the contest “particularly the dying seconds of the game.”

“Having ruled on the invalidity of the protest I do realize however that there is a greater and higher interest involved there.”

As per the remaining time, Salud said that the time will only be stopped “when the whistle is blown” and not at the “point of contact.”

“So if you noticed at the point of contact upon review it showed there was around 1.3 seconds remaining but that was not the reckoning point the reckoning point was when the whistle was blown and upon review it was shown that there was 0.2 secs remaining and as by practice in this league when the play is still alive at the time of the whistle it will be moved back to 0.3 secs as was done in this case.”

“Again there was no technical error committed in this game and we are thus upholding the results. Ginebra won that game.”