The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has admitted that it missed its call on Calvin Oftana’s four-point attempt late in Game 2 of the semifinals between the TNT Tropang 5G and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
Rain or Shine’s Gian Mamuyac was called for a foul as he defended Oftana while in the act of shooting with seven seconds remaining in regulation.
Oftana was given three free throws which he all converted and forced the game into overtime, 99-99.
According to the PBA, the in-game review deemed that Oftana’s attempt was made from the three-point area.
However, videos from members of the press covering the game revealed that Oftana was beyond the four-point arc when he was fouled.
“Our official reviews are based on video feeds from our cameras from different angles. These serve as our sole basis for decision-making during in-game reviews. While we strive to provide accurate rulings, our assessments are inherently limited to the footage available within these camera perspectives,” a statement of PBA Deputy Commissioner Eric Castro and the PBA technical committee said.
“We deeply regret that this call was missed. This incident highlights that, despite the use of advanced equipment and multiple camera angles, blind spots can and do still exist within live game coverage.”
The committee acknowledged the said lapse and vowed to be better moving forward.
“Our players, teams and fans deserve the highest standards of fairness and accuracy. We acknowledge this lapse and commit to continuously improving our review systems to minimize such occurrences in the future.”
TNT won against Rain or Shine, 113-105, in overtime to take a 2-0 lead in the semis. (GMA Integrated News)