Guiao rues calls on import Thompson: 'Kataka-taka at hindi makatarungan'

For Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao, the PBA should check on the referees' calls in the first game of the best-of-three quarterfinals between the Elasto Painters and the Converge FiberXers on Wednesday.

Converge drew first blood, 130-118, to inch closer to a semis spot. 

Guiao was pointing out the calls made on Rain or Shine import Deon Thompson who was ejected early in the third quarter.

By the end of the first half, Thompson already had three fouls, but was whistled for three more fouls at the 11:01, 8:54, and 8:34 marks of the third period which led the Elasto Painters to play all-Filipino until the final buzzer.

"From three fouls to six fouls in less than three minutes. Ngayon lang ako nakakita sa buong buhay ko na sa PBA ako na gano'ng kaninipis, itatawag nang sunod-sunod. Hindi man lang nakapasok yung replacement niya," Guiao said.

"I'm not sure. I think the PBA should investigate those referees. Sila nag-decide ng laro eh. Dikit ang laro noon eh so magre-remedyo ka na lang after that. Maganda sana 'yung laban kaya lang 'yun nga, sobrang kaninipis ng mga tawag."

Guiao described the said calls as questionable and unfair.

"Kung gano'n ang tatawagan nila, dapat sobrang dami ng fouls na tatawagan nila," he added.

"Kataka-taka at hindi makatarungan."

Guiao, however, said they have yet to decide on whether the team will file a formal complaint regarding what happened.

He also called on the league to review what he described as a 'ridiculous' rule on the landing spot.

"Kahit na gaano kanipis 'yung tama, ikaw pa rin may kasalanan kung ikaw ang nasa depensa. So I think kailangang i-review yung mga rules na ganoon. It's ridiculous na."

While Rain or Shine had a 17-point lead in the first half, Guiao said the game being close would have given them a chance to still get the win.

"Ang point na ikinatalo namin nung nawala 'yung import namin. May chance pa kami manalo nung tinanggal nila 'yung import namin. So okay na kami doon kahit naubos yung 17-point lead namin, huwag lang noon kung crucial. Eh biglang 'yung import mo tatawagan nga ng tatlong maninipis na fouls," he added.

Thompson echoed Guiao regarding the calls made against him.

"I feel like [when] I fouled out, it changed the whole game, I feel like if I stayed in the game, I don't think the result [would be] the same," Thompson said.

For Guiao and Thompson, however, not all is lost as they still have at least one more game to play.

"'Di pa naman tapos. Mayroon pang Friday," said Guiao.

"Kaya lang sayang. [It] could've been a better game if it had just been well-officiated. Ang nagpapangit ng laro 'yung mga referee."

Converge head coach Franco Atienza, meanwhile, said that Rain or Shine losing Thompson may have been good for the FiberXers, but they will still need to do better on Friday.

"Whenever you have an import, tapos sa kabila wala, malaking bagay 'yun. Pero still, we weren't able to control that game in the third quarter. I think late in the fourth pa. Nagpapalitan pa lamang noon eh or if lamang, isang possession lang. That's a testament on how good the other team is," Atienza said. 

"'Yun nga lang, at least it's a good break for us. Nawala si Deon who is a big presence inside but we have to do better sa Friday."

—JKC, GMA Integrated News