Basketball
Patriots’ Capacio blasts ABL officiating
AirAsia Philippine Patriots coach Glenn Capacio expressed his disappointment over officiating of games in the ASEAN Basketball League, and called on the ABL to address the situation.
Capacio voiced out his dissatisfaction over inconsistencies with calls of the referees that have occurred not just in his team’s 104-79 loss to the Indonesia Warriors last Saturday, but also in previous games as well.
“Lahat ng teams, nagrereklamo because of officiating. Ang hinihingi lang namin ay fair officiating for both teams,” Capacio said after the Patriots’ defeat against the Warriors.
“Gusto ko lang, fair. Lahat naman kami nag-peprepare, nakakapikon na. You are preparing hard for the game but you can’t control the game because they (referees) are the ones controlling the game.”
Capacio was slapped with a technical foul in the Warriors game for continuous complaining, particularly on the level of physicality against Patriots import Anthony Johnson. The Patriots eventually lost the game, their worst home defeat in franchise history.
“Nagpapakamatay ‘yung mga players, happy ako doon. Pero kung ipagkakait mo ‘yung binibigay nila na effort, okey lang naman na matalo kami as long as fair ang officiating,” Capacio said.
Capacio said that his intent of his comments are only for the benefit of the league.
“Para sa akin, kagandahan ng liga ‘yun. Dapat may gawin talaga ang ABL. Maganda ang liga, ang nagpapapangit lang ‘yung officiating.”
Officiating was believed to be the reason for other negative incidents that have happened in the league.
The Bangkok Cobras, upon the order of their coach Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, walked out with two minutes left in the game last March against the Warriors after Filipino Marvin Cruz was slapped with his fifth and final foul of the game.
The “basketbrawl” that occurred last March in the second match between the Patriots and the San Miguel Beermen was also perceived to have gotten out of hand because of the failure of officials to control the game.
