UAAP: Racela says refs should have reviewed AdU-UP ending — ‘They never gave us a chance’

Adamson University head coach Nash Racela against University of the Philippines in UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball. UAAP Media. MANILA — Adamson University head coach Nash Racela was adamant that the closing seconds of their 69-67 loss to University of the Philippines in UAAP Season 89 on Wednesday should have at least been reviewed, saying there could have been a missed call that went against his team.

“We heard the whistle from the referee, so we were asking them to review it,” said Racela, referring to the play that saw Matthew Montebon attempt a halfcourt heave in hopes of salvaging a win.

“We really heard the whistle. Some people also saw it, including my referee and my lineman,” he added. “If the referee didn’t blow the whistle, then fine. But [Dikachi] Ududo was clearly going after Montebon. The least they could have done was review the play.”

From Racela’s perspective, the game officials signaled and called a foul before the final buzzer sounded, but did not even offer an explanation as to what exactly happened.

“They could have told us there was no foul, and that would have been it,” he said. “But they walked out. They never gave us a chance in the end.”

Aside from the controversial sequence, Racela also weighed in on what he felt was the officials’ leniency toward UP’s physical style of play.

“I have to study that so we can learn from UP and do the same without getting called for fouls,” said Racela. “I think the officials allowed them to play, and that’s what UP did in the third quarter, too, with a lot of contact. They called it marginal, so maybe those were really just very marginal fouls.”

“I told our players to be very, very proud of themselves because UP survived them today. UP survived them,” he added of his Soaring Falcons, who also squandered a 13-point lead. “UP played one hell of a defensive game in the fourth quarter and made consecutive stops, one after another, without committing a single foul.”

Still, Racela remains optimistic about Adamson’s chances moving forward, saying the Soaring Falcons are still in a good position to finish the first round on a high note.

“Where we stand at the end of the first round, with the standings so tight, my answer to that question is another question: Did you expect us to be here? When can we answer that, right?” Racela said.