TNT import Joshua Smith didn’t mince words as he blasted the referees who officiated his team’s Game 5 loss in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
“PBA officials are terrible,” said Smith who scored 15 points and seven rebounds in TNT’s 111-102 defeat.
The burly import also called out three referees: “Number 14, 17 and 40. They’re all terrible.”
But his teammate Jayson Castro believes that bad officiating wasn’t the reason why TNT fell behind 3-2 in the series.
“Siguro kailangan lang namin mag-focus sa game namin huwag sa officiating. Tao lang naman din sila nagkakamali,” he said. “Ganun talaga part ng game yun.”
TNT coach Nash Racela, who has a history of ripping PBA referees in the past, said in his post-game press conference that his team just failed to get the job done.
He rued about TNT’s 24 turnovers and the 38 free throws KaTropa gave up to San Miguel.
“We have to limit our turnovers, again. Number two, we have to limit San Miguel’s free throws,” Racela said.
“I’d like to say San Miguel easily outplayed us. But that’s just not the case today. Again, yung free throws ng San Miguel, we have to limit that. I don’t know how, but we’ve got to find ways to defend them better.”