UST head coach Kung Fu Reyes calls out UAAP officiating after loss to Ateneo

MANILA, Philippines—University of Santo Tomas head coach Kung Fu Reyes accepted the Tigresses’ loss to Ateneo in the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday.

But the veteran mentor called out the league and its game officials with UST on the receiving end of what he thought were missed calls right when his team was making a come back in the fourth set.

Reyes said words that were nothing short of inflammatory directed towards referees Rene Gaspillo and Damiel Palada who officiated the game that the Lady Eagles won 25-21, 25-18, 16-25, 25-22.

READ: UAAP volleyball: Ateneo bounces back, holds off UST for first win

Reyes said Ateneo got off scot-free despite what he saw as rotational errors in the Lady Eagles’ positioning on the court.

“What can we do when we see those close calls? We don’t have a challenge system. What hurts the most was those close calls were called against us and they were made late in the game,” said Reyes in Filipino Wednesday at Filoil Flying V Center.

“The best thing they can do is put in qualified referees to officiate the game, the ones who are really good in doing their job. The first they should ask if these referees were also volleyball players. I know we’re only human and we mistakes but they should understand the nature of the game.”

“The best thing they could do is admit that they made a mistake at least us coaches will be relieved. But they kept on denying and that’s [expletive].”

Reyes got riled up in the fourth set when Janine Balcorta got called with a net touch violation even though the ball was already on its way down to the baseline after an Ateneo attack.

Balcorta’s error gave Ateneo a 20-17 lead but this was before UST captain Cherry Rondina heavily contested the call with lead refer Gaspillo.

Reyes also called to question the jury’s role in the proceedings if table officials can’t review what the referees call, be it right or wrong.

“My question is what is the role of the jury if there even is one? What can they do?” said Reyes whose team dropped to a 1-1 record. “The only thing they said was that the captain should talk to the referee and what? Nothing. Whatever the referee calls is final. The loss doesn’t actually matter but what matters is how the calls are made, especially in the end game.”