PBA admits crucial blunder

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) admitted that it made the wrong call in the crucial stretch of Game 2 of the Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal series between TNT Tropang 5G and Rain or Shine late Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

In a statement on Saturday, PBA deputy commissioner Eric Castro rued the error, admitting that game officials Peter Balao, Bing Oliva, Jerry Narandan and Janken Austero had a lapse in judgment when they reviewed the attempt made by Tropang 5G star Calvin Oftana in the final 7.7 seconds with the Elasto Painters ahead, 99-96.

With officials ruling that the attempt was just a three-pointer, not a four-pointer as shown in the footage taken by sportswriters, Oftana was awarded three free throws, which he easily knocked down to send the game into overtime.

TNT went on to win the match, 113-105, to post a 2-0 series lead, but social media was still buzzing with speculations, questioning the integrity of the officiating of the oldest professional basketball league in Asia.

Castro admitted the oversight and explained the limitations of the current review system.

“Following the review, it was ruled that the foul occurred on a three-point shot attempt. Calvin Oftana was subsequently awarded three free throws,” Castro said.

“However, video footage from members of the media has surfaced clearly indicating that Calvin Oftana was beyond the four-point line at the time of the foul.”

Castro added that their review process is just based on the footage provided by their broadcast team.

“Our official reviews are based on video feeds from our cameras from different angles. These serve as the sole basis for decision-making during in-game reviews. While we strive to provide accurate rulings, our assessments are inherently limited to footage available within these camera perspectives,” the league official said.

“We deeply regret that this call was missed. The incident highlights that, despite the use of advanced equipment and multiple camera angles, blind spots can and do still exist within live game coverage.”

TNT will try to bury the memory of that missed call and shoot for a commanding 3-0 lead when they face Rain or Shine anew in Game 3 on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.