Badolato: Refs have been fair

Santo Tomas U’s Karim Abdul challenges the defense of Ateneo’s Greg Slaughter in Game 1 at Mall of Asia Arena. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

UAAP commissioner Ato Badolato yesterday described Game 1 of the men’s basketball championship as “fairly officiated” and dismissed allegations to the contrary made by University of Santo Tomas in the thriller won by Ateneo, 83-78, last Saturday.

Badolato also assured that game officials will be “on top of the situation” in Game 2 tomorrow as the rivalry between the two finalists heated up following the word war between Ateneo coach Norman Black and UST mentor Pido Jarencio.

“It was a fairly officiated game, I have no complaints about it,” Badolato said of the best-of-three series opener. “There were no calls that could have altered the outcome.”

Badolato gave Jarencio a “strong reprimand” for his verbal and slight physical assault on the referees after the game.

“There was slight contact, but it was the heat of the moment,” Badolato said at the PSA Forum presented by Pagcor, Smart and Shakey’s yesterday at Shakey’s Malate. “I don’t want to penalize a team by suspending a coach.

“My request is for the coaches to be patient. Definitely the referees won’t side with either team,” he added. “Rest assured that the referees will be on top of the situation.”

Badolato also addressed Jarencio’s complaints in the final minute of the game. The fiery coach said a foul shouldn’t have been called on Karim Abdul and free throws should have been awarded to Jeric Teng at the buzzer.

“We reviewed the tape,” said Badolato, who also explained that even if free throws were awarded to Teng at the buzzer, it “would not have made any difference in the game.

“While the hand of Abdul got all ball, his elbow hit the body of Kiefer (Ravena). There really was a foul.”