PBA suspends ref for missing controversial goaltend in ROS-Magnolia Game 3

The PBA said Zav Lucero's layup should have been counted immediately for goaltending in one missed call that irked Magnolia's bench. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--The PBA imposed a stiff sanction on an erring referee who missed a crucial call in Game 3 of the Governors' Cup quarterfinals between Rain Or Shine and Magnolia.

Deputy Commissioner Eric Castro announced on Monday night that Rey Yante has been suspended for failing to immediately call a goaltending violation on Jhonard Clarito while trying to block Zav Lucero's layup attempt late into the Sunday night showdown at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

"Referee Yante won't be able to officiate for the rest of the conference," Castro bared the extent of Yante's ban in a press conference to discuss the late drama that transpired.

Castro then explained why they still had to honor Gian Mamuyac's free throws despite correcting the missed call, saying that it has been a longtime practice to check back at previous plays that can be disputed when there is a dead ball situation.

"With the rules that we have, we reviewed it, but that's after the fact that Magnolia already fouled the Rain Or Shine player," Castro further said, adding that because Yante failed to call the goaltend right on the fly, the technical committee could not review the play immediately.

The missed goaltend irked Hotshots coach Chito Victolero so much that he confronted the referees after the foul was called.

Victolero's ranting also did not sit well with Elasto Painters' gaffer Yeng Guiao, and he was asking the referees to call a technical foul on Victolero only that his pleading fell on deaf ears.

On why no technical foul was called, Castro explained, "We don't want to decide the game with that technical foul. The score was tied that time," adding that they could have done the same to other coaches ranting too much during a tied game.

"We want to save the game."

He then revealed that Victolero was asking for a foul first during the controversial Clarito goaltend and not the goaltending infraction itself.

Castro also acknowledged a timekeeping error right at the end of regulation, in which the clock did not immediately stop after the ball went out of bounds during a rebounding battle.

"When we reviewed it with the technical committee, indeed there was still 0.8 of a second remaining," Castro said.

"I take full responsibility for the incident."

However, he added that Lucero tapped the ball out of bounds and the referees could have given the ball to the Elasto Painters anyway.

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