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MANILA, Philippines —Hog’s Breath coach Caloy Garcia questioned a technical foul called against him that eventually led to his ejection during his team’s semifinals match against NLEX Tuesday.
Garcia was given a technical foul for excessive complaining and was sent out of the court at the 4:30 mark of the third quarter where the Road Warriors were already on their way to a big Game 1 win.
“I just told my players ‘it’s only Game 1,’ but what’s disappointing is that I don’t know why I got a technical for doing what?” Garcia said after the Razorbacks took a 74-99 beating. “So when I got the technical, I just went on so it would be at least worth it if I have to pay [a fine for it].”
Garcia said he didn’t like the foul called against his forward Francis Allera when based on what he saw it was NLEX’s center Ola Adeogun who pushed Allera when both players battled for positioning on a rebound.
“I thought they were going to call an offensive foul on Adeogun because he pushed Allera but then they called a foul on Allera when he wasn’t doing anything so I just went like this,” explained Garcia, raising his arms with his fingertips leveling his shoulders and his palm of his hands facing him.
“Our bench reacted not me, so when the referee came [towards the officials table] I thought he’ll call a warning against our bench,” he said.
“So I was really shocked when I got called for a technical foul. Sabi ko nga hindi ko alam kung namemersonal na lang sila (I don’t know If they’re just taking this personal). I really don’t know what merit that technical foul because I’ve seen more terrible gestures than what I’ve done,” added Garcia, who also serves as an assistant coach under Yeng Guiao with Rain or Shine in the PBA.
Guiao recently served a one-game suspension and was given a hefty P100,000 fine by the PBA Office after getting suspended for two consecutive games during the Elasto Painters’ semifinals duel against Petron Blaze due to his “persistent misconduct” against the officiating.
“Akala yata nila ako si (Maybe they thought I was) coach Yeng,” Garcia said with a wry grin.
Garcia also said that he was even in a good mood the whole game and that he was talking nicely with the referees all the while.