Cardel shrugs off crucial goaltending call in Columbian loss: ‘That’s basketball’

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Columbian’s game against NorthPort in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup was, by all means, a cardiac affair with the two teams trading blows up until the last second of the match.

Whatever the Batang Pier threw, the Dyip had an answer.

Despite the heart-stopping nature of the game, the ending was anticlimactic to say the least after a goaltending violation on Dyip import Lester Prosper gave NorthPort the 110-108 win.

Columbian head coach Johnedel Cardel didn’t object to the ruling after substantial video reviews showed Prosper’s arm hit the rim on Robert Bolick’s layup attempt with 2.8 seconds left in the game.

“It just happened, that’s basketball, I really can’t say much about it,” said Cardel in Filipino Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. “The officials called it, and I think if I was on NorthPort’s part maybe we’re also just as lucky.”

“Well, it is what it is so it’s okay.”

The fourth quarter saw four ties and 11 lead changes alone with the last stalemate happening with 10 seconds left after CJ Perez followed up an Eric Camson’s miss for the 110-all line.

Columbian had one final chance at the end of the game, but Camson’s heave came up short giving the Batang Pier their eighth win in 10 games.

“We tried to win it but we just fell short,” said Cardel, whose Dyip dropped to a 2-7 record. “But I’m still proud of my players because we still don’t have some of our players.”

Columbian played without Reden Celda, JP Calvo, Jerramy King, and Jackson Corpuz who are all nursing injuries.