MANILA, Philippines–The PBA acknowledged that Calvin Oftana should have been awarded four free throws instead of three during the final seconds of regulation in TNT’s 113-105 overtime victory over Rain or Shine in Game 2 of the Philippine Cup semifinals on Friday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Deputy commissioner Eric Castro made the announcement after Oftana made all three charities with 7.7 seconds that tied the score at 99-all and eventually forced an extension where the Tropang 5G were able to prevail over the Elasto Painters.

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While the league determined in its review that Oftana’s attempt was a three-pointer, videos from media outlets had a clear view that the TNT star was fouled by Gian Mamuyac from beyond the four-point arc.

“Following the review, it was ruled that the foul occurred on a three-point shot attempt. Calvin Oftana was subsequently awarded three free throws, all of which he converted, sending the game into overtime,” Castro said in his statement posted on the PBA’s official website on Saturday.

“However, video footage from members of the media has surfaced, clearly indicating that Calvin Oftana was beyond the four-point line at the time of the foul—thus qualifying the play as a four-point shot attempt.”
Castro added that the league could only base its judgment on available footage, but nonetheless expressed remorse over the failure to make the right call.

“Our official reviews are based on video feeds from our cameras from different angles. These serve as our sole basis for decision-making during in-game reviews. While we strive to provide accurate rulings, our assessments are inherently limited to the footage available within these camera perspectives,” said Castro.

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“We deeply regret that this call was missed. This incident highlights that, despite the use of advanced equipment and multiple camera angles, blind spots can and do still exist within live game coverage.

“Our players, teams, and fans deserve the highest standards of fairness and accuracy. We acknowledge this lapse and commit to continuously improving our review systems to minimize such occurrences in the future,” added Castro.

The miscue didn’t prevent TNT from taking a 2-0 lead in the series as Oftana went off for seven in the overtime period to survive a contest that came after erasing an 18-point deficit and wasting a 14-point lead.