That won't be the last time Guiao will challenge a call.
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters gave coach Yeng Guiao a winning debut in the PBA On Tour on Friday night at the Ynares Sports Arena in Antipolo.
It was a solid, spirited effort by the Elasto Painters, who kept a depleted but very game NLEX Road Warriors at bay in the first three quarters before pulling away in the final frame to notch a convincing 117-93 victory.
Things weren’t all roses for Guiao, though, as he wound up on the wrong side of history in the second quarter, when he became the first PBA coach to have an unsuccessful coach’s challenge. The fiery mentor challenged an offensive foul called on big man Jewel Ponferada, who was setting a pick. Upon review, however, the referees affirmed the call and did not overturn the initial ruling.
Prior to Guiao’s unsuccessful challenge, Frankie Lim of NLEX, Bonnie Tan of the NorthPort Batang Pier, Jamike Jarin of the Phoenix LPG Fuel Masters, and Johnedel Cardel of the Terrafirma Dyip all challenged different calls, and each was able to do so successfully.
Lim, incidentally, is also in the record books for being the first-ever PBA tactician to throw a coach’s challenge, doing so in the Road Warriors' PBA On Tour debut versus the Blackwater Bossing on Sunday. The coach’s challenge is one of several new rules the PBA has introduced on a trial basis this preseason, with the goal of making games more exciting, according to commissioner Willie Marcial.
NorthPort’s Tan, curiously, used the coach’s challenge twice in the Batang Pier’s game versus the Meralco Bolts, and both were successful.
Unfortunately for Guiao, his first coach's challenge did not go his way. But at least he got the win.