FRUSTRATION over officiating the last two games of the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals finally boiled over for Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia, leading to his ejection in Game 4 on Monday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Garcia said the Elasto Painters had been getting the raw deal of the calls including in the team’s 94-91 loss on Monday that tied the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
“I don’t know what happened, the last two games we haven’t been really getting anything. They allow [Magnolia] to grab us, they allow [Magnolia] to push us. Even when we set screens, they’re pushing us and kami pa ang natatawagan ng offensive (fouls),” said the soft-spoken Rain or Shine mentor.
Garcia was banished at the 1:43 mark of the third quarter after getting his second technical foul with the Hotshots leading, 75-59.
He was actually mocking one of the referees to throw him out but was initially ignored. So Garcia approached deliberately tapped the ball away.
“I went to the next referee, may hawak na bola, tinapik ko yung bola. So yun sabi ko, i-throw out nyo na lang ako kasi masyadong masakit sa mata 'yung tawagan,” he added.
The Elasto Painters used Garcia's ejection as motivarion and mounted a spirited rally from as many as a 21-point deficit that unfortunately, fell short in the end.
Garcia said the calls changed after his disqualification.
“Basically in the fourth quarter, nag-iba, medyo pumabor sa amin yung tawag. So sana maging patas lang,” he said.
Garcia is not about to push the panic button, stressing to his team that Magnolia simply tied the series. He added the Elasto Painters only need to look at the videos and return to the things they did in the first two games of the series.
“Probably coming Game 5, we’ll be more physical. I think we became more physical in the second half, that’s why we’re able to comeback,” said Garcia. “So labanan na lang kami ng matira ang matibay na lang.”
And he vowed to adjust to the kind of calls that will be made.
"We just have to watch the video of what's happening and adjust probably sa calls," said Garcia.
* This article was originally published here
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