NI ERNEST HERNANDEZ

IPINALASAP ng Barangay Ginebra sa sister team San Miguel Beer ang unang kabiguan sa PBA Philippine Cup.

Ngunit, mas pinag-usapan ng nitizens ang ilegal na free-throw ni Chris Ross sa huling segundo ng laro.

Tangan ang 98-95 bentahe may 4.5 segundo ang nalalabi sa laro, binigyan ng foul ni Sol Mercado si Chico Lanete matapos ang rebound battle. Ngunit, imbes na si Lanete ang tumira ng free throw, walang abog na pumuwesto sa free throw line si Ross at tumira ng foul shots.

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Hindi pumasok ang tira, ngunit, binigyan ng technical si Ross sa kanyang aksyon.

Sa Beermen fans, tuligsa ang inabot ng mga referee sa kaganapan. Para maliwanagan ang lahat, sinabi ni PBA Deputy Director of Basketball Operations Eric Castro ang patuntunan sa rule book.

“Noy Guevarra was trying to give the ball to Lanete, and si Chris Ross yung nagpunta sa free throw,” pahayag ni Castro.

“We have a rule before that a player who deliberately takes the place of the designated free throw shooter shall be given a delay of game warning,” aniya. “That was before. We changed that rule last December. We had an experience before that some of the players, pag mahina yung free throw shooter na teammate nila, pu-pwesto sila to take their place. We encountered that.”

Iginiit din ni Castro ang isa pang panuntunan sa PBA rule book: “player who deliberately takes the place of the designated free throw shooter shall be given a delay of game warning if the free throw has not been attempted. Any succeeding similar offense shall result in an unsportsmanlike flagrant foul. If the free throw has been attempted by the wrong shooter, the player shall be assessed an unsportsmanlike technical foul.”

Inamin naman ni Castro na may kamalian sa referee na siyang nagbigay ng bola kay Ross.

“To be honest, meron din kaming fault doon. I won’t deny it, but the players know kung sino talaga ang shooter,” aniya.