Chief to hand down protest verdict

source:http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/waiting-game-as-badolato-weighs-merits-of-bulldogs-protest

THE question on whether RR Garcia’s controversial game-winning layup should stand or not will have to wait as UAAP basketball commissioner Ato Badolato sought more time to decide on the merits of National University’s protest over its loss loss to Far Eastern University on Sunday.

“I need more time to review,” said Badolato, who received NU's formal protest on Tuesday and plans to come out with his decision on Wednesday.

Garcia’s last-gasp basket in FEU's 77-75 victory on Sunday is being contested by the Bulldogs, who claim that the ball was still in the finger tip of Garcia when time expired and therefore should not have counted.

Several photos taken from different angles of Garcia’s layup have spread on the internet over the last few days and so far, reactions have been mixed.

A former UAAP basketball commissioner contacted for comment said he, too, felt the shot was also too close to call.

“When [I watched it] live, I thought it should not have been counted. When I saw the replay, I was still not sure whether it’s counted or not,” said the former official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The former UAAP commissioner speculated that had the game gone into overtime, both teams would not have made a fuss about the controversial final-second play.

“I guess that if the game extended into overtime, no one will contest the decision,” said the ex-commissioner, who despite the controversy praised, Badolato for the way he is handling the league so far.

Several photos taken from different angles of Garcia’s layup -- including this video grab by uaapsports.tv -- have spread on the internet over the last few days and so far, reactions have been mixed.