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'Bad calls' push Texters to forfeit game vs Gin Kings


A disputed call led defending champion Talk ‘N Text to forfeit its game against Barangay Ginebra Friday night, allowing the Kings to level their KFC-PBA Philippine cup quarterfinals series with the Tropang Texters at 2-2 and force a decisive Game 5 on Sunday.

Chot Reyes
A fuming Chot Reyes, the Tropang Texters coach, ordered his players and entire coaching staff to walkout off the Araneta Coliseum floor with a minute remaining in the first quarter following a crucial flagrant foul called on big man Ranidel De Ocampo. De Ocampo was whistled for bumping Ronald Tubid while the Barangay Ginebra shooting guard was driving for a basket. The Kings led, 27-20, when the incident happened. "I’m happy," Barangay Ginebra coach Jong Uichico admitted in the aftermath of the confusion that followed the first ever incident of a league walkout in the last 20 years. "What can I say but I’m happy because they gave the game to us." Then known as Añejo, Barangay Ginebra was fined P500,000 for forfeiting Game 6 of its First Conference championship series against Formula Shell, which went on to win the title after the Rhum Makers refused to go back to the playing court. "I just hope we’ll be able to pull it off on Sunday," said Uichico of the do-or-die match for the right to face Alaska in the semifinals.
Talk 'N Text owner Manny V. Pangilinan inside the Texters' dugout after the team's walked out of their game against Ginebra. GMANews.TV
As standard procedure, Talk ‘N Text was given five minutes to return on the playing court. When time expired, a technical was called on the team and another minute given for the Tropang Texters to reconsider their decision. But with the blessing of management, the defending champions stood pat on its decision, leading league officials to award the game in favor of Ginebra. Reyes later claimed the franchise had been on the losing end of the officiating for the entire series. "All we’re asking for is a fair play, to be given the chance to compete and play defense," he said. The outspoken coach noted how for the past three games, a total of 126 free throws were awarded to the Kings – 81 of which they made – compare to the 60-of-80 the Tropang Texters did from the same area. Reyes said that’s a discrepancy of almost 50 free throws in favor of the Kings. It also didn’t escape his attention that in the first 12 minutes of Game 4, the Kings were already had a 14-5 edge in free throws, not to include yet the deliberate and flagrant foul called on De Ocampo. "They called a flagrant foul 2 on Ranidel because they don’t want him to play in Game 5," said Reyes. "We’ll definitely protest the throwing out of Ranidel," said the Talk `N Text coach.

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But asked whether the Tropang Texters would be showing up on Sunday, Reyes replied: "we’ll leave it that to management." Uichico believes the Tropang Texters are playing psy-war in the series. "They’re playing mind games thinking they can easily get away with this," he said. PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios said he’ll have a conference Saturday afternoon with Talk 'N Text team manager Virgil Villavicencio and will summon De Ocampo about the controversy. He also said that a hefty fine definitely awaits the telecommunication franchise.
Ginebra's Erik Menk looses ball possession against the defense of three Talk 'N Text defenders. GMANews.TV
"Rules are rules and we abide by the rules," said Barrios. "In the PBA constitution, the penalty would be half a million. Hindi bababa sa P500,000." Red Bull was the last team to be fined for walking out of the game during Game 4 of the 2006 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals against San Miguel. The Barakos walked out of the court with 2:06 left in the second quarter, but returned to the court and eventually, finished the game which the Beermen won, 106-82. Nonetheless, the franchise was fined for the act, amounting to P507,000, including P400,000 to the team, P100,000 to coach Yeng Guiao, P6,000 on Lordy Tugade for putting up a dirty finger sign on league officials and P1,000 to Egay Fernandez for offensive language against league officials. – GMANews.TV
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