Host UE raises concern over officiating in UAAP Season 86
MANILA, Philippines – UAAP Season 86 host University of the East reached out to the collegiate league’s commissioner for clarity following what it felt was unjust officiating during the Red Warriors’ 76-69 loss to the Ateneo Blue Eagles last Wednesday, October 11.
In a letter sent to UAAP commissioner Xavier Nunag on Friday, October 13, Rodrigo Roque, UE’s representative to the league’s Board of Managing Directors, lamented how officials impacted the outcome of the game.
On Thursday, October 12, the UAAP announced that three referees who officiated in the UP-FEU, UE-Ateneo, and La Salle-Adamson games were suspended for three weeks of action and will no longer be allowed to officiate knockout, Final Four, or finals games this season.
UE thanked the league for its quick action in suspending the concerned officials, but the school also urged the commissioner to take a closer look at a video clip it submitted along with a letter listing 21 missed or erroneous calls by the referees.
Red Warriors head coach Jack Santiago said they also requested the league to no longer allow the suspended official from the UE-Ateneo game to officiate men’s basketball games in Season 86.
“We requested to transfer him to [the] women’s [tournament], the referee. But they’re saying, it’s the same group that officiates for the men’s and women’s, so technically, he’s still going to officiate here,” Santiago told Rappler in a mix of Filipino and English.
“We’re hoping this serves as a lesson. Just imagine if we won that game. Even if we lost our last game, at least we’d still have a favorable standing.”
Santiago particularly groaned at the free throw disparity between the teams, with Ateneo attempting 34 and UE taking just 4 foul shots.
It was a close matchup down the stretch of the fourth period until Blue Eagles guard Jared Brown hit a critical three-pointer to extend Ateneo’s lead to 5 points, sealing the victory.
“Yeah, of course,” Santiago responded when asked if he feels the game was impacted by the officials.
“Just imagine, where are you going to see a team shoot 34 free throws against 4? Is that how bad we play defense?”
Santiago acknowledged that his team’s lack of aggression in attacking the paint impacted its lack of free throw attempts, but argued that there were multiple calls from the game that he felt should have gone the Red Warriors’ way.
“We’re not asking for him to be banned,” the third-year head coach clarified of the suspended official. “Just to transfer. But, of course, they (UAAP) have their own rules, so we respect the commissioner.”
According to Santiago and sources from UE, they were told the suspended officials would undergo re-training in basketball officiating and counseling before working UAAP games again.
Losing two games in a row after a 72-65 defeat at the hands of Adamson on Sunday, October 15, UE dropped to 2-3.
A putrid 18% field goal display in the first half put the Red Warriors in a 12-point deficit at halftime, giving the Soaring Falcons enough cushion to ward off UE’s second-half comeback.
“It’s so hard, because it’s a domino effect [from the last game],” Santiago reflected on the defeat, where Red Warriors guard Gjerard Wilson also suffered a shoulder injury.
“Instead of ending at 3-2 right now, we end up at 2-3, and then we’re going to face two of the top teams, NU and La Salle [next], so it’s hard for us coming from a loss to prepare for NU on Wednesday.”
As far as worrying about officiating, Santiago said, “We just need to move on and focus on the upcoming games.” – Rappler.com