THOUGHTS | PASS THE BALL TO THE OFFICIAL?
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
The MPBL is no stranger to controversy, and this one just adds to it.
I saw a Biñan player pass the ball to MPBL security head Rudy Distrito, and it felt like pouring fuel on an already burning fire.
Here’s how it went down: it was a regular-season matchup between Biñan and Batangas City. It's a rivalry between neighboring provinces known for their intensity and never-say-die attitude, especially against each other. With Batangas City holding a big lead, Nic Cabanero made a beautiful move to the basket, but the referees called a travel and waved it off.
On replay, it didn’t look like a travel at all.
In fact, it almost felt like the refs weren’t used to seeing that kind of smooth, floating finish.
After Jhan Nermal hit a triple for Batangas City, Biñan called a timeout. That’s when coach Boyet Fernandez and his staff confronted “The Destroyer” and the officials, insisting they got the call wrong. Cooler heads prevailed for a moment, and the game resumed, but the tension was already there.
With less than two seconds left, JJ Pido threw an errant pass to no one. Fernandez was already in the middle of postgame handshakes. Then, on the next inbounds play, Pido again threw the ball to no one. He said it was meant for Cabanero, but it looked like it was headed toward the officials. The ball ended up with Distrito, who tossed it back to Pido, and that’s when the shoving started.
The game ended with Distrito and Fernandez exchanging words on the court, while a fan—or a Biñan supporter—threw a monobloc chair onto the playing surface.
I’ll give both sides the benefit of the doubt here, because it felt like both the officials and the Biñan camp had their share of fault. Still, it was a strange game, especially how it all unraveled at the end.
Even at 67 years old, Distrito isn’t someone you mess with. I won’t get into his past controversies, but it’s clear he knows how to spot a questionable move when he sees one. As for Boyet Fernandez, he feels very different in the MPBL compared to his time in the PBA and the NCAA. He comes off more intense here, which is surprising because he’s usually calm, composed, and keeps that fiery side in check.
That said, it feels like the MPBL needs clearer rules for situations like this. I’m not saying it’s low-level, but it’s rare to see players throwing errant passes toward officials, or officials positioning themselves along the sideline just as play is about to resume.
I don’t know the full story, so I won’t speculate—but yeah, the whole thing was just really "strange."
Uhurm.
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