PBA commissioner: No precedent to suspend Mark Barroca on groin hit
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial during the 2018 PBA Draft Combine. photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial warned Magnolia guard that a suspension is imminent if he repeats his roughhousing in the2018 PBA Governors’ Cup finals.
Marcial said Barroca could be suspended if he merits a flagrant foul penalty 2 or an unsportsmanlike foul in the last three games of the title round.
Barroca was caught punching Alaska point guard Chris Banchero in the groin area in the final three minutes of Game 4, a match the Aces won 90-76 to tie the series at 2-2, on Wednesday.
READ: Mark Barroca fined for groin hit, Alex Compton penalized for referee remarks
Barroca earned a P50,000 fine for the blow but was able to dodge suspension since, according to Marcial, there was no whistle blown during the incident.
“We reviewed the tape and it was a non-call so we don’t see a precedent to suspend Barroca,” said Marcial Thursday at Gatorade Hoops Center during the PBA Draft Combine.
“I warned him that if he does that again or he merits an F2 or an unsportsmanlike foul then he’ll be suspended.”
Marcial added that a similar case to Barroca’s happened before when TNT forward Don Trollano punched San Miguel forward Arwind Santos during the Commissioner’s Cup on June 16.
READ: Mark Barroca downplays ‘punching incident’ with Chris Banchero
Although there was a scuffle in that previous incident, no calls were given against Trollano and Santos.
And if Barroca wasn’t immediately given a suspension for his punch, referee Rolando Dacanay was slapped with an indefinity suspension.
Marcial said Dacanay failed to see Barroca’s punch, resulting in a missed call.
“Dacanay was the one nearest to the incident, he’s the one assigned to spot any lane violation, but he looked at the ball instead of keeping his eyes on the players,” said Marcial. “If he was able to see it and blow and call a foul then there wouldn’t be a problem, there will be a suspension.”
