MANILA---Alaska head coach Tim Cone is convinced that the referees made a mistake in throwing import LD Williams out of the playing court Friday.
The Aces may have gone home with the heartstopping 104-101 win over the Meralco Bolts in overtime, but only before they went through fire sans their high-flying import.
"That basically changed the game," said Cone. "The fact that they threw him out, so shocking."
Williams, a product of Wake Forest University, now faces a one-game suspension following his ejection.
And with a conference so swift, this could prove crucial to Alaska's bid for the top two spots in the eliminations.
Alaska, toting a 4-2 slate, is currently in third place behind Talk N Text and Smart Gilas Pilipinas.
"It’s just unfair. The import has to do something drastically for them to be thrown out in my opinion," said Cone.
"He didn’t throw the ball, he didn’t accost anybody. That can’t even be a flagrant foul," he added.
In the 7:52 mark of the opening period, Williams was ejected from the game after hitting Mac Cardona's face with his elbow.
But according to Williams, he had no intention of clipping Cardona and was only protecting himself during that play.
"My contacts fell out. My head down, my eyes closed then I felt somebody grabbing the ball," said Williams. "Instinctively, I put my hands out."
"Hell, yeah I'm suprised I got thrown out," he added.
Without Williams, Meralco pounced on the undermanned Aces and the Bolts dominated the almost the entire second half.
"I was ready to concede right then and there. But my players were not," said Cone.
The Aces, led by one of the best guards in the league today in LA Tenorio, had no plans of throwing in the towel as they chased Meralco's 14-point cruise in the fourth quarter. They even had a chance to finish it in regulation only to fall a free throw short as Cyrus Baguio missed the second freebie that could have won it outright. But there was no stopping Alaska in overtime, with Joe De Vance also putting in a heroic effort.
"It let me know that I don’t have to do everything, because that’s not the case for every import," said Williams of the dramatic victory.
Cone even wanted to put the game into protest, but "now that we won the game there's no need to protest it."
William's case will still be reviewed according to the PBA office.
Celest Flores, Phil. Daily Inquirer
