PBA: Alaska head coach Trillo fined P40,000 by Comm. Salud for post-game actions

PBA commissioner Chito Salud fined Alaska Aces head coach Luigi Trillo P40,000, half for statements "detrimental to the best interests of the league" and the other half for "confronting the game officials before, during or after a game."

Comm. Chito Salud: For repeatedly issuing statements to the press that tend to undermine public confidence (cont) tl.gd/n_1rjdlhe

— pbaconnect (@pbaconnect) March 25, 2013

The league announced the fines Monday via their official Twitter account @pbaconnect

Trillo became enraged following the conclusion of his side's 84-83 loss to the San Mig Coffee Mixers last Saturday, after referees whistled a lane violation late in the fourth quarter, which nullified a Calvin Abueva free throw that would have tied the game.

[Related: San Mig survives Alaska as Baguio misses game-winner]

Instead, a jump ball was called, and though Alaska won possession, Cyrus Baguio was unable to connect on a triple, allowing the Mixers to escape with the victory.

In the official statement by the league, Salud said that "For repeatedly issuing statements to the press that tend to undermine public confidence in the game's outcome in general, and mislead and confuse the public as to the correctness of the call made by the game officials with respect to the free throw violation in the game between the Alaska Aces and the San Mig Coffee Mixers in particular,statements that are deemed by this Office to be detrimental to the best interests of the league, coach Luigi Trillo is hereby fined the amount of P20,000."

He also added, "For violating the rule prohibiting any member of a team from approaching or confronting the game officials before, during or after a game, coach Trillo is hereby fined the sum of P20,000."

Last Sunday, Salud clarified the referees' ruling, saying, "You can see that when the ball was handed to Calvin [Abueva], four players from both teams went inside the arc. It's a free throw violation and in that case, no score can be made. Automatic yon; jump ball yon.

[Related: Referees called free throw violation in San Mig-Alaska game spot on - Comm. Salud]

"Kung isa lang pumasok, for example, offensive player, the shot is nullified. Turnover yon," Salud explained. "If it's only the defensive player who enters the arc before the release of the ball at na miss, isa pa. Bibigyan pa ng isang foul throw."

As a result, Alaska fell to 7-3, into a tie for the top spot in the standings after the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters bested the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters. - AMD, GMA News