FILE PHOTO. Paul Desiderio. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Ron Dennison said it was a “flop” by Paul Desiderio that cost him a disqualifying foul late in Far Eastern University’s win over University of the Philippines on Sunday.
Dennison, the Tamaraws guard, got ejected at the 2:48 mark of the fourth quarter after video replay showed him tapping Desiderio in the midsection.
“Hindi ko siya sinuntok. Wala, kahit tignan niyo pa. Kahit i-replay niyo pa ng sampung beses yun,” said Dennison. “Wala akong intensyon. Alam ni Desiderio, na sasaktan siya kaya willing siya mag-flop kaya ayun.”
(I did not punch him. Even if you look at and watch the replay 10 times. I have no intention of hurting him. Desiderio anticipated I was going to hurt him so he flopped.)
READ: Desiderio insists ejected Dennison hit him in UP loss to FEU
FEU would hold on to the 51-49 victory over UP to register its first back-to-back wins in UAAP Season 79.
Dennison, though, feels he got the short end of the stick when it comes to the officiating.
“Mainit din yung mga referee sa akin,” he said.
“Sa akin kasi, may background na sya sa akin na tirador. Ngayon naman wala eh. Ewan ko lang sa kanya. Mainit talaga sya sa akin every game.”
FEU head coach Nash Racela also thinks the call should be looked at by UAAP commissioner Rebo Saguisag.
“I think that’s something that the commissioner has to review,” he said. “I know Dennison has been a marked man. He’s been playing really, really clean this year. I mean, if they will call that touch foul on Dennison, dapat yung mga big men like sila (Ben) Mbala kung manulak, ina-allow nila. Kung ganoon, dapat si Mbala 20 fouls na every game. So mali eh. I think those were really questionable calls today. It’s up to the Commissioner’s Office to review that.”