The conversation after Game 3 could have easily centered on the whistles.
Instead, TNT head coach Chot Reyes found himself discussing two battles that have become intertwined throughout the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup Finals — the one against Barangay Ginebra and the one surrounding officiating.
For the third straight game in the championship series, refereeing became a major talking point. But while Reyes delivered comments that immediately drew attention, the veteran coach ultimately acknowledged that TNT’s problems ran deeper than any call or non-call.
After the Tropang 5G absorbed a 116-102 defeat before a packed crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena, Reyes was asked about the officiating crew’s performance.
“Excellent, excellent officiating today,” said Reyes with a straight face. “I have to commend the officiating crew. Excellent officiating.”
Whether the statement was genuine praise or a pointed remark was left open to interpretation.
The issue has followed the series from the opening game.
Reyes questioned the final sequence of Game 1, believing Justin Brownlee committed a foul on Calvin Oftana during TNT’s last-second attempt to force overtime. In Game 2, it was Ginebra coach Tim Cone who publicly expressed frustration, describing the officiating as “terrible” after his team’s defeat.
By Game 3, the spotlight once again drifted toward the referees after Reyes was assessed a technical foul in the third quarter while repeatedly voicing his displeasure over several calls.
Yet despite the attention generated by his comments, Reyes was careful not to pin the loss solely on officiating.
The veteran mentor instead pointed to the areas where TNT failed to help itself.
“We gave up 20 turnover points,” Reyes noted.
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TNT coach Chot Reyes kneels before a ref to stress his point as he protests a call in Game 3 of #PBAFinals pic.twitter.com/lsEvJIJ2Y1
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For a team that thrives on discipline and execution, that number proved costly.
TNT committed mistakes that Ginebra consistently converted into easy scoring opportunities, creating a gap that became difficult to overcome despite several comeback attempts.
The Kings were also significantly more efficient offensively.
Ginebra connected on 51.9 percent of its field-goal attempts, while TNT shot just 43.9 percent from the floor. The disparity was especially glaring in the opening quarter, when the crowd favorites shot a blistering 77.8 percent and raced to a commanding 35-16 lead.
That explosive start allowed Ginebra to dictate the pace throughout the night and prevented TNT from ever fully settling into its preferred rhythm.
“And they (Kings) shot extremely well,” Reyes added.
In many ways, Game 3 reflected the delicate balance that has defined the Finals so far. Discussions about officiating continue to dominate headlines, but the outcomes have largely been determined by execution on the floor.
For TNT, the challenge now is finding solutions before the series slips further away.
Because regardless of how the whistles are perceived, Reyes knows the Tropang 5G cannot afford another night where turnovers pile up and Ginebra gets comfortable offensively.
As the Finals move forward, the debate over officiating may continue. But for TNT, correcting its own mistakes may ultimately prove more important than any call made by the referees.
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