When things get tough, just smile :)

I cannot remember the last time i fouled out in a basketball game. Maybe the last time was in high school. After playing 5 years of UAAP games and other college leagues, I never fouled out. And just in my 3rd PBL game, where the referees supposedly allow significant contact to take place before calling a foul, I was left helpless in the bench practically throughout the most part of 4th quarter. That was the thought that came into my head as soon as i sat in the bench after being given my 5th foul in our game a while ago against Harbor Center. When I push and bump the opponent, they don't call fouls. But when i try to avoid the opponent, i get called for the foul.

For those who did watch the game, i couldn't help but laugh and smile out of extreme frustration with the way referee #21 was picking on me the entire game. In the 3rd quarter, i get slapped in the wrist by Barua while attempting a 3-pointer, it misses the rim, no foul. Then they have a fast break attempt and I avoid Barua, he misses the shot but then a whistle blows. My 4th foul care of ref #21. I ask him how that became a foul and he said i hit Barua in his arm. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, he probably didn't see it. Bad call. So during the free throw attempt, i tell him nicely to check the replay and he says they review the tapes for mis-calls after every game. Deep inside I was thinking, "wow, what can reviewing the games do now that i have my 4th foul in the 3rd quarter?" So i sit on the bench til around the 7 minute mark of the 4th quarter...

Lead now balloons to double digits and Coach G calls me to get inside the court. After one minute, right in front of the Harbour bench, Ben Fernandez drives tries to absorb contact from me, but i avoid him with my hands raised and he looses his balance and throws the ball out of bounds. A whistle blows, I look to my right and again it's ref #21 who calls a blocking foul on me. My 5th foul. I'm out of the game. I was saying to myself "Is he serious?? is this real??" Our coaching staff goes bezerk! Hapee fans go wild. I could see the faces, talagang nalugi! I knew that reasoning out could not reverse the call anyway, so i just smiled it out and walked to the bench to try to cool me down. I've experienced poor officiating many many times, but normally it would be against a team and not a specific person. But this one seemed like a personal matter. Very unusual.

At the end of the day, we lost to the better team. I'm not saying that the outcome of the game would have changed if i stayed on and finished the game. We were down by like 6 or 8 or 10 points when that happened. Obviously, Harbour played well and they deserved to win. But at least we gave them a tough fight and the effort was there. We missed a lot of easy shots too!

In fact, from the owner, to the players, to the utility boys of Harbour, all of them are friends and or acquaintances. I was even invited by boss Mikee Romero to join them in the RP-Harbour team that participated in the 2007 SEA Games. There, I was teammates with players like Al Vergara and Boyet Bautista. I also currently train with Mark Barroca and JR Cawaling in the National Team pool under coach Toroman. That's why I have high regard for their team and I know what they are capable of.

It just really puzzles me why situations like this can occur. I don't question the integrity of the PBL because I know it is run well by professionals with good moral character. My only wish is that this game be investigated and reviewed to avoid future similar instances. And i pray that ref #21 just made two honest mistakes, and nothing more! For me, I think it's a more noble deed to just admit that a mistake was made rather than to try to reason out and defend oneself. After all, it's just a game and there's more to life than just winning a basketball game. (Except if it's against DLSU! Haha kidding!)

I'm not writing this to criticize or put down any particular person. That's not what this blog site is for. That's why I didn't put the name of ref #21. Let's just leave it at that. I merely wrote this entry so i can vent out and share my thoughts. It's hard to keep it in all by myself, especially since it's Chinese New Year and we all want to celebrate and wish for another prosperous year. At least now I can sleep well, relax and most of all, SMILE :) Thanks for listening!

To all the Chinoys, Happy Year of the OX!