Compton points out freethrow disparity in Aces’ Game 5 loss
Head coach Alex Compton at the bench. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Alaska head coach Alex Compton has never been more visibly upset than when he talked to the media on Wednesday night following the Aces’ overtime loss to the San Miguel Beermen in Game 5 of the 2016 PBA Philippine Cup Finals.
Usually amiable win or lose, Compton’s lips were curled into a sneer and he scowled as he tried to let reporters at the press room figure out what was on his mind.
“Anything stand out on the stat sheet to you guys?” he asked. “They’ve been effective, they’ve made some plays, but my question to you guys is does anything stand out on the stat sheet to you guys?”
“You see any big discrepancies?” Compton asked again after a reporter wondered out loud if it was the three-point shooting the coach was talking about.
Finally, another reporter noticed the glaring numbers: San Miguel Beer went 23-of-35 from the free throw line while Alaska got to line five measly times and made three. The Beermen were called for 17 fouls, 20 fewer than the Aces.
“So you guys said the free throw discrepancy was 30, I didn’t. What was the foul discrepancy? 20 foul difference, think that has an impact on the game, don’t you?”
Compton refused to say whether he was implying that the Aces are getting the wrong end of the calls.
“I’m just pointing out facts. I don’t have anything to say like that. Just pointing out facts,” he insisted.
Compton, however, admitted that the 20-foul difference that led to the 30 more attempts from the stripe for the Beermen was too big of a disadvantage for the Aces to overcome.
According to PBA head statistician Fidel Mangonon, San Miguel got to the line 29 times as compared to 3 for Alaska in the second half alone.
“I thought we got some good shots. I thought generally 67 points defensively was pretty good. We missed some shots. [But] I’ll go back to if a team consistently gets 30 more free throws than you do, gets 20 more fouls called, it’s going to be difficult,” he said.
“How you guys wanna spin that or what your opinion is on that matter, I’ll let you be the judge. I have no other statements than that. 30 free throws and 20 fouls is a big discrepancy. that’s gonna be difficult to win. You guys tell me your perception on that,” Compton added.
