Red Bull Barako gained the last slot in the crossover knockout semis as the Thunder lost by one point to the Talk n Text Phone Pals, 87-88, in a do-or-die duel that had a bizzare ending at the Cuneta Astrodome last night.
PBA commissioner Noli Eala described it "the most absurd thing I saw in a basketball game."
Eala visibly disappointed in the contest that saw both teams playing not to win at endgame.
Coca-Cola withstood a decent challenge by Cebuana Lhuillier-RP Team, 91-83, to make it to the semis earlier.
The Phone Pals, who needed to win by eight to gain the last semis slot, even went to the extent of shooting to the Thunder’s goal while enjoying the lead in the closing seconds possibly to force an overtime.
"It’s the team’s respon-sibility to win no matter what. Ang samang tignan ng nangyari," said Eala
"I congratulate Red Bull. I think it’s a lesson for everybody that this kind of system is not fit. Nakakatawa ang nangyari," said acting Talk n Text coach Ariel Vanguardia. — Nelson Beltran