Sports Eye
The finals that almost went pffft!
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
I SAID it before and I’ll say it again: referees are the most controversial officials in any sports competition, especially in ball games, chiefly basketball. We have seen numerous and countless rhubarbs even in respected local or international tourneys like the Olympics, Asian Games, European Games, Commonwealth Games, NBA and PBA to name a few. It just suddenly occurs, especially when the match is closely and roughly played, particularly in a championship match. Bias officiating is the perennial root of imbroglios, which eventually turns a game sour. I’ve seen many of these and also experienced some as an amateur player during my youth. I also got involved in the fracas sometimes.
It happened again on June 5 during the second game of the best-of-three finals of the Bangus Festival SK Inter-Barangay Basketball Championship between Poblacion Oeste and Bonuan Gueset held at the Dagupan People’s Astrodome.
I was there and watched the complete scrimmage and saw another fiasco in this James Naismith-created sport. If not for the calm and responsible management of the affair led by tournament commissioner Manny Gatchalian and SK consultant Carmelo John Vidal, the event for sure would have turned into another nightmare.
The problem started halfway of the second quarter when Gueset player Lurian (I failed to get his first name) became overly aggressive against Pob. Oeste’s top gunner Mejia (I was not able to get his first name too). That fumed Mejia’s coach Joey Escorpiso and his team’s supporters saying that the game was already being played rough and that the referees (Marlou Prado, Pio Castaneda and Raul Bautista) were not performing well, with their many bum calls and biased officiating.
“Nuon pa yan ay ganuon na sila kaya nakakawalang gana at nasisira tuloy ang morale ng mga players,” Escorpiso charged.
On the other hand, tournament commissioner Gatchalian told me that the new referees of BAP (Basketball Association of the Philippines) Region 1 whom he is handling now are more efficient than the old ones.
“The old ones were already weeded, and this is the new leadership in BAP Region 1,” said Gatchalian.
As far as I know, the old ones were handled by Jon Cansino, now the commissioner of Region 1 referee’s group of NABRO (National Amateur Referees Basketball Organization).
The Pob. Oeste team suddenly staged a walkout with their supporters in tow, disappointing the spectators, including this writer. They were already outside the astrodome and ready to board their vehicles when Vidal, assigned by SK president Carlos Alipio Fernandez to monitor the event, caught up with them and successfully convinced them to continue the match for the sake of friendship, camaraderie and for the good image of the league and the city.
Before the game was continued, they held a cordial closed-door meeting where very explanations were made and the differences patched up.
Pob. Oeste eventually won the second game, 80-72, to force a rubber match scheduled on June 12 (Independence Day). Bonuan Gueset scored a pulsating 85-83 triumph in the first encounter. The third and final match will surely be a crowd drawer. Gatchalian said SK prexy Fernandez will attend the match.
I wish Mayor Al Fernandez and Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez will watch the game, too. This is their project that started on April 17, with 17 teams participating from the city’s 31 barangays, exclusively for 15 to 20 year-old Dagupan City bona fide residents.
I’m doing this piece on June 11. By the time you read this, the game would already be over. I’ll give the results in the next issue.
If Bonuan Gueset triumphs, I’m sure there will be a victory party to be hosted by village chair Angel Gumarang. Of course, with a lot of beer, wine and pulutan. Like him, we are both burachos.
If Pob. Oeste reigns, I sense there will likely be one too. Chairman Emong Vallejos is also a party lover.
See you there, sports lovers.
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