ANTIPOLO CITY, Philippines – After Alaska coach Alex Compton, it’s now Magnolia tactician Chito Victolero’s turn to call out the PBA referees.

Victolero requested for consistency in officiating as the Hotshots failed to gain a commanding 3-0 lead in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup finals with the Aces scoring a huge 100-71 Game 3 win on Sunday, December 9.

This comes after Compton said the Magnolia’s backcourt pair of Mark Barroca and Jio Jalalon were not getting whistled for fouls as much as they should be. (READ: Compton calls out PBA officiating, says Magnolia guards ‘foul a lot’)

“Coach Alex is doing a good job also of calling the attention of the referees last game,” Victolero told reporters after the game, which marked the franchise’s worst finals loss in history. 

“I think nakuha niya ‘yung attention ng referee for, sinasabi niyang my guards keep on fouling, my guards are playing like, dirty. So, the referees are not calling on our side and the referees are calling on their side.” 

(I think he caught the attention of the referees for saying that my guards keep on fouling and they are playing dirty. So, the referees are not calling on our side and they are calling on their side.)

“But I keep on reviewing the tapes, wala namang ginagawang masama ang mga players ko (my players didn’t do anything wrong).”

“I don’t know what the referees are seeing, kung anong fouls ang ginagawa. But I think for this game, the Alaska players are holding my players right now and they don’t call a foul.

(I don’t know what the referees are seeing in terms of the fouls. But I think for this game, the Alaska players were holding my players and they didn’t call fouls.)  

“So I don’t know what the referees are doing for the next game, but I want them to be consistent. ‘Yun lang naman ang request ko before the series started: consistency.”

(So I don’t know what the referees are doing for the next game, but I want them to be consistent. ‘Yun lang naman ang request ko before the series started: consistency.)

Following Alaska’s 71-77 Game 2 loss on Friday, Compton claimed that Barroca and Jalalon “foul a lot and they don’t get called for it.” 

In that contest, Barroca was called for one foul in 37 minutes of play while Jalalon was whistled for two in 30 minutes. 

“If you’re karate chopping, pushing somebody or leaving your foot so you’ll trip the ball handler, it’s a foul. And that was a big part of the game. And for whatever reason, they didn’t want to call it,” Compton said. 

Things turned different in Game 3 with Jalalon and Barroca earning 3 fouls each in 21 and 27 minutes of action, respectively.

Overall, Magnolia was called for 27 fouls while Alaska was whistled for 24. The Hotshots, though, had a 21-16 free throw advantage. 

“Just be consistent. Kung nanghahawak kami, manghahawak sila, what’s the point? Bakit tatawagan kami, bakit ‘di sila tatawagan?” Victolero added. 

(Just be consistent. If we hold them and they hold us, what’s the point? Why are we getting calls and the opposing team does not?) 

“Kung ‘di nila tatawagan ‘yung sa amin, ‘wag ding tawagan ‘yung sa kanila. Kung tatawagan ‘yung sa amin, tawagan din ‘yung sa kanila.“

(If they don’t call fouls against us, then don’t call fouls against the opposing team. If they call fouls against us, they should also call fouls against the opposing team.)  

The Hotshots aim to rebound and pad their lead to 3-1 in Game 4 on Wednesday, December 12, at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com