Chris Newsome was one unhappy camper on Wednesday night. And the source of his frustration—more than the Meralco Bolts’ 98‑97 loss to the Phoenix Fuel Masters, evidently—was the officiating.
In fact, Newsome looked so irked that he stayed on the court to talk to the referees after the game, even when usual protocols require players to head straight to the dugout. It did not end there, as the 10‑year veteran continued talking to officials in the hallway, ending with him having a discussion with PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.
Newsome Seeks Clarity, Transparency
Afterward, a calmer Newsome clarified that he did not actually lose his cool and was instead just trying to gain some clarity about the officiating.
“I don’t think I lost my cool, to be honest,” Newsome told reporters after finally settling down minutes later. “I was just asking folks for clarification on what happened. You know, in our captain’s meeting, the refs said if there’s anything that you have questions on, as the captain, that we approach them about it.”
“I just want to approach them about it. And, you know, I guess maybe we’ll have to find out another time to talk about it. So, you know, we’ll let management do their thing, see what happens.”
It is unclear if there were specific plays, in particular, that Newsome sought clarification on. However, on Meralco’s penultimate possession while up, 97‑96, Newsome drove to the basket and appeared to have been hit by Phoenix’s JL Delos Santos. No foul was called, causing the Bolts to lose possession and leading to Newsome fouling Ken Tuffin in the ensuing scramble.
Tuffin nailed both freebies for the win.
Newsome Isn’t the First to Speak Out Against Officiating
Curiously, the Gilas Pilipinas mainstay and one‑time champ is not the first to call out officiating this conference. Just a couple of days ago, Magnolia Hotshots coach LA Tenorio called on the referees “to adjust right away” in the aftermath of Magnolia’s loss to—ironically enough—the Fuel Masters.
“Kami, nag‑re‑rely sa kanila ngayon to make the right calls. I know it’s hard to be consistent. Mahirap maging consistent…,” Tenorio pointed out. “We are adjusting, they have to adjust also. FIBA rules, FIBA rules, okay lang, ganun talaga. Pero nag‑a‑adjust kami, dapat mag‑adjust din sila ng mabilis.”
Ahead of the Governors’ Cup, the PBA announced that it would be implementing FIBA‑centric officiating as a way to help Gilas Pilipinas adjust to international competition. But just a week into the conference, it looks like the league’s referees are having a hard time making that adjustment. That two PBA lifers in Newsome and Tenorio have spoken about it openly might be proof of this struggle.
As far as Newsome is concerned, in particular, he is hoping the league and its officials can set a standard in terms of how the rules will be enforced and how the games will be called.
“It’s important to understand what are the clear rules that we’re gonna play with. That way, it’s fair for all teams. That’s all I want is transparency on how we’re gonna play the game,” Newsome explained. “For me, it’s just about holding the standard, having a standard to follow. As long as everybody’s on the same page, we’ll go out and play basketball. All I need is transparency and clarity for how we’re going to play this game.”
It is early at this point, but it appears officiating will be an interesting subplot this Governors’ Cup.
