La Salle coach Aldin Ayo. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Rivals on the court, La Salle coach Aldin Ayo and Far Eastern University coach Nash Racela are on a united front as they seek better officiating.
The outspoken Ayo blasted the game officials following the Green Archers’ 73-67 victory over the Tamaraws on Saturday.
“I was pissed off on that conversation that we had in the middle of the court before the third quarter started because one of the referees said, ‘coach, pag di na namin kinaya, tatawagan na namin.’ What does that that mean? Ibig sabihin discretion na pag di namin kinaya? Ano yun, pakiramdaman? Wala ba tayong rules dito ng basketball? Na feeling ko, di ko na kaya tatawagan? Anong klaseng decision yun? Yun lang eh.”
“Sabi ko nga sa refs, ‘patayin na lang nila si Ben (Mbala).’ Anong klaseng foul ang bibigay kay Ben? Malakas ang katawan nito, so ang gusto nila malakas rin na tama para tumawag ng foul. Kung mahina na player, bigyan mo ng mahina na foul pero foul na rin. Uniform ba yun? Dapat uniform ang tawagan regardless kung malakas o mahina player,” he said.
Referees allowed the two teams to play physical in the highly anticipated second round duel, with La Salle being whistled for 14 fouls to FEU’s 22.
For their part, the Tamaraws had assistant coach Eric Gonzales attend that short halftime talk with the referees at center court when Racela was still rallying his troops in the dugout.
But based on what was relayed to him, Racela shared, “I think they (La Salle) wanted to adjust. I don’t know why.”
“You can’t be consistent if you differ from the first half. I think that’s a concern for most of the teams, that if you call it physical in the first half, you have to call it physical in the second half,” he said.
Racela’s issue, meanwhile, stems from the three fouls whistled on Prince Orizu in the first half, something which he felt disrupted the Cameroonian’s rhythm.
“Orizu had three fouls early. That’s a concern if they called the third foul on Orizu in the second quarter,” he said.
With the game already over, Racela is hopeful the commissioner and the officials can address the inconsistencies seen in the officiating.
“They should do something about it. All we could do is call their attention,” he said.