PBA: Referee in Alaska versus Air21 game suspended for blown call

(Updated 3:23pm) For the second time this season, a PBA referee has drawn a suspension for missing a game-changing call.

Following a meeting with officials representing the Alaska Aces, PBA commissioner Chito Salud suspended referee Jimmy Mariano for four gamedays, after failing to call a foul on Air21 Express big man Rob Reyes for hitting Aces rookie Calvin Abueva on the face, during their game, Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The statement, made via the text message from the league office, said:

“Upon review of the game between Alaska and Air21, referee Jimmy Mariano has been suspended for four (4) gamedays for his failure to assess a foul on the contact made by Rob Reyes on Calvin Abueva in the last minute of the game. It was clearly established that referee Mariano was the official who was in the primary area of jurisdiction to make a call in that particular situation. The commissioner will also be calling Rob Reyes for a meeting on Saturday in Tubod to hear his side on the contact initiated against Calvin Abueva.”
 

With 48 seconds left in the tied ball game between the Aces and the Express, Abueva collared the rebound after a miss by Mark Isip. The rookie then decided to start a fast break against three Air21 players. Abueva lost control of the ball and pulled Reyes’ jersey on his way down. Reyes retaliated by hitting Abueva’s face, although he denied that he did it on purpose.

However, the game video shows that Reyes said something to Abueva while the latter was down on the floor. Abueva stayed down, clutching his face for about 10 seconds. He proceeded to steal the ball from Reyes, immediately after getting up.

Abueva’s steal gave Alaska, possession where Cyrus Baguio sank a free throw. However, on the other end, Isip’s mid-range jumper trickled in to give the Air21 Express a 104-103 victory.

Air21’s next game will be against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in Tubod, Lanao Del Norte where Reyes will meet with the PBA Commissioner.

Mariano is the second referee to have drawn a suspension from the league this season. Referee Rey Yante was slapped with a six-gameday ban for mistakenly calling a goaltend late in the fourth quarter of Alaska's 94-92 win over the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters last November 3. - AMD, GMA News