The PBA has suspended yet another referee after a blunder late in Game 1 of the semifinals series between Rain or Shine and Meralco Tuesday night.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the league banned referee Art Herrera for five game days or one week with no pay “for an error in mechanics and judgement in changing a call.”
Herrera waved off a made 3-pointer by Gabe Norwood that would’ve put Rain or Shine ahead, 90-80, with 5:35 left in the game thinking Norwood failed to beat the shot clock, which is a non-reviewable play.
The replay, however, clearly showed Norwood released the ball with still a second left before the shot clock expired.
The Elasto Painters still went on to win, 99-86, over the Bolts and take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-five duel but their head coach Yeng Guiao expressed displeasure over the glaring mistake that could’ve cost his team the game.
READ: Rain or Shine disposes of Meralco for 1-0 lead in PBA semis
“Again, I think it was an officiating error where Gabe shot the ball there was no call and the refs corrected the call after the shot has been made,” Guiao said after the Painters’ victory. “I don’t know if you can make a correction like that in a ball game without blowing your whistle. There was no whistle.””We’re getting confused. We just need to get hold of the officiating. Sayang naman yung series. If this game was closer that would’ve really mattered a lot,” added Guiao.
It was the second straight game where Rain or Shine got involved in a controversial game.
Just recently, league commissioner Chito Salud suspended a referee for the remainder of the conference also due to a lapse in judgement in failing to call a shot clock violation in the waning seconds of the Painters’ one-point win over the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the quarterfinals.
READ: PBA suspends referee after non-call late in ROS-Ginebra tiff
“We’re just thankful that we had a good lead but it’s not always going to be that way,” said Guiao. “[It’s] dangerous that’s why I suggest they should get themselves in one room and talk about what they need to do to improve the officiating.” CC