PBA: San Miguel not filing a protest after controversial Game 1 call

San Miguel is moving on from a controversial call in the Beermen’s Game 1 loss to TNT in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals.

SMB team manager Gee Abanilla confirmed that the team’s management has decided not to file a protest before the league following an offensive basketball interference call on Mo Tautuaa that ultimately paved the way for a Tropang 5G victory. 

Abanilla said the decision came after PBA deputy commissioner Eric Castro held a spontaneous press conference just hours after their 96-99 loss to TNT. 

READ MORE | PBA explains late offensive basket interference call on Mo Tautuaa in Game 1

"No more. We think it’s an exercise in futility since they had a press conference already last night," Abanilla told GMA News Online in a message on Monday afternoon.

"They didn’t even give us a chance to discuss our grievances even if they knew we have 24 hours to file a protest."

To recall, Tautuaa attempted a one-handed dunk that bounced off the rim before dropping in late in the fourth period to give the Beermen a slim 98-97 lead with 56 seconds left after they trailed for as many as 24. However, officials ruled his contact with the rim as offensive goaltending during a dead ball 50 seconds later.

Calvin Oftana sank a pair of freebies that allowed TNT to salvage the victory. 

San Miguel head coach Leo Austria initially bared that the team will protest the call in hopes to seek clarification on the call. 

However, Castro already spoke to the members of the media, citing a league rule that states “interference occurs during a shot when an offensive player causes the backboard to vibrate or grasp the basket in such a way that, in the judgement of the official, the ball has been caused to enter the basket.”

—JMB, GMA Integrated News