MANILA, Philippines – LA Tenorio did not mince words on his comments about the officiating as Barangay Ginebra got beaten by Meralco for the first time in a PBA playoff series.

Tenorio blamed a referee after the Gin Kings fell short of their spirited comeback in a 106-104 loss to the Bolts in Game 3 of their Philippine Cup quarterfinals duel on Sunday, July 31.

Ginebra looked on its way to tying the game in the final 15 seconds as Scottie Thompson drove hard to the hoop only for the reigning PBA MVP be called for an offensive foul on Meralco’s Cliff Hodge.

The crucial call left Tenorio fuming, with the Gin Kings veteran animatedly contesting the foul in front of the referee but to no avail.

Replays, though, showed Thompson pushed off Hodge with his left arm.

“[The referee] decided the game,” Tenorio told reporters in Filipino before leaving the Mall of Asia Arena. “It was a good game [before that].”

Ginebra erased Meralco’s 21-point lead in the second half and even seized a 104-103 advantage after a clutch Tenorio three-pointer with a minute left.

However, Meralco answered with its own long bomb courtesy of Raymond Almazan to regain the upper hand and eventually clinch the win.

The loss put a disappointing end to the Gin Kings’ hopes of winning back-to-back titles after they ruled the Governors’ Cup last season. – Rappler.com