PBA challenge to uplift quality of officiating

MANILA, Philippines — PBA deputy commissioner Eric Castro said yesterday the head coach challenge is a way to uplift the quality of officiating and isn’t necessarily a measure of rating a referee’s performance. The rule was introduced on an experimental basis during the PBA OnTour and applied starting the 2023 season.

In the ongoing Commissioner’s Cup, there have been 57 challenges with 36 unsuccessful or an uphold rate of 63.2 percent. In the previous Governors’ Cup, 108 challenges were registered with 66 unsuccessful or an uphold rate of 61.1 percent. The comparison reflects a slight improvement in the uphold rate, meaning an increase in unsuccessful over successful. In the PBA OnTour, there were 70 challenges with 46 unsuccessful or a 65.7 percent rejection rate.

Castro said the challenges are mainly on fouls, out-of-bounds plays and block or charge calls. At the moment, the PBA employs 23 referees broken down into four Class A, four Class B, six Class C and nine Class D with four rookies. The four Class A referees are Nol Quilinguen, Peter Balao, Rommel Gruta and Bing Oliva.

Coaches are allowed a challenge each in a game but may call a second if the first is successful. The challengeable calls are fouls, act of shooting/sideline, block or charge, traveling, flopping, eight-second violation, backcourt violation, held ball, out-of-bounds or last touch and shot clock remaining. 

In FIBA, a coach is permitted a challenge each in a game regardless whether successful or not. Fouls are not challengeable except when questioning to upgrade or downgrade an unsportsmanlike or disqualifying call. The reviewable situations include game clock versus valid basket, shot clock violation, goaltending, out-of-bounds and whether a shot is a two or three-pointer.