Mo Tatuaa was whistled a crucial violation on his dunk with less than a minute left in Game 1 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals between San Miguel and TNT.
Mo Tautuaa did not agree one bit with the call that eventually cost San Miguel the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals opener Sunday night, July 13.
With the Beermen down, 96-97, Tautuaa soared for a slam with 56.1 ticks left to play to give his squad the lead with 56.1 seconds left to play.
But the dunk — which saw the ball go straight up before going in — was later nullified and ruled an offensive basket interference with only six seconds remaining, and TNT preserved the win, 99-96.
“I’m starting by saying I’m mad, but I don’t want to get fined. So I'm not going to say much on it,” Tautuaa said.
“We all saw the play. I’ve seen that a lot of times. I don’t agree with the call. That’s it.”
After the jump-ball between Chris Ross and Jordan Heading, the leather ended up in the hands of Calvin Oftana, who canned the two free throws that sealed the win.
Tautuaa went on to cite an instance during the Beermen's semifinal series with Ginebra where an alleged goal-tending violation was not reviewed.
“Last series, we thought a goal tending happened, but they didn’t review it… I feel like that’s very subjective. They kind of decided that one for us,” the SMB big said.
In the end, Tautuaa could not do anything about the call.
“It’s just a missed shot. People touch the rim all the time, especially on a dunk. That’s what happens when you dunk the ball, you touch the rim,” Tautuaa said.
“By the time it went in, I was already on the floor, everything was done. I feel like that was — that sucks.”
League deputy commissioner Eric Castro shed light on the call after the match.
[RELATED STORY: PBA explains basket interference call on Mo Tautuaa late in Game 1 of TNT-SMB Finals]
“As you’ve seen in the replay, when Mo dunked in the last 56 seconds, nahila niya 'yong ring,” said Castro.
“Regardless kung may tamaan siya na part ng ring, the fact na nahila niya 'yong ring pababa is a violation already, considered offensive basket interference.”