Blackwater rues jump ball call in loss to Meralco in OT

Blackwater Elite head coach Leo Isaac says team officials are “discussing” whether they will appeal the jump ball call by the referees in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter to the PBA Office. MARK GIONGCO

MANILA, Philippines — Blackwater Elite head coach Leo Isaac lamented what he feels a dubious call by the referees in the waning seconds of regulation of his team’s overtime loss to Meralco Tuesday.

The game was tied at 70 with under 10 seconds left and Blackwater big man Jason Ballesteros secured the defensive rebound off a miss by Meralco center Reynel Hugnatan and immediately gestured a timeout before Sean Anthony tied him up but referee Peter Balao, who had a clear vantage point of the scene, inexplicably saw it differently and instead signaled a jump ball with 2.2 ticks remaining.

“We have to accept realities that when the game is close the other team will give more than 100 percent and they have the personnel, the players to do it,” Isaac said shortly after his team dropped another game it could’ve won, 75-83.

“For us, we were only hoping that we could squeeze in a favorable call from the rebound of Jason Ballesteros that maybe they will call a timeout,” he said. “Had the timeout was given, had the correct call was given, we could’ve had possession in the last 2.8 seconds for the game winner but it wasn’t given to us.”

Isaac also said Blackwater’s officials are  still discussing if they will raise their concern to the PBA Office.

“I don’t know yet but team officials are discussing about it and trying to get a copy of the tape,” he said. “Many are saying that obviously there was a timeout called but the [referees] ruled otherwise. ”

Isaac also said that the Bolts, having been through countless end-game situations before, were just the better team.

“When it comes to the nitty gritty that the other team is being tested, they will go out giving more than 100 percent to really prove that they are the much better team and they have the players to do it,” he said.

“The other team won’t give you an easy victory and the referees will call what they see so it’s our opinion that there should be a timeout but the referees’ opinion is different so we need to review the tape,” Isaac added.

Blackwater rallied from 14 points down in the final eight minutes of regulation to force extra session but got outscored, 5-13, in overtime to suffer its third loss in as many games.