MANILA, Philippines – The PBA penalized every official involved in Sunday’s Commissioner’s Cup match between Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia for neglecting to signal a critical transgression.

In the last six seconds of the exciting game, with the Kings losing 92 to 91 and the largest attendance of the current season inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the professional league acknowledged that game referees had failed to call a foul on Mark Barroca for driving Scottie Thompson.

Magnolia Hotshots mounted an astonishing comeback to secure a thrilling 93-91 victory over Barangay Ginebra, overcoming a daunting 26-point deficit. The game included a number of contentious moments, notably in the final seconds, which added an extra dimension of drama to the tight matchup.

Deputy Commissioner Eric Castro freely admitted the officiating gaffes, calling them “inappropriate” and attributing them to a communication breakdown and a missed call. The admission of mistakes highlighted the difficulties that authorities faced in a game of high stakes and intense competition.

Ginebra appeared to be on track for a decisive victory, with a comfortable 60-35 lead at halftime. Magnolia’s persistence, powered by guard Jio Jalalon’s spirited performance, turned the tide in the third quarter. Import Tyler Bey was instrumental in completing the comeback, putting the Hotshots up 92-91 with 11.5 seconds remaining.

A disputed foul call on Magnolia’s Mark Barroca against Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson in the waning moments set up a potential game-winning opportunity for the Kings. Thompson’s successful basket was called back after Barroca claimed a foul. Replays showed Thompson’s arm making contact, raising concerns about the officials’ decisions.

Christian Standhardinger was forced to foul Jalalon in the ensuing seconds, and he split his free throws, cutting the lead to two points. Ginebra, looking to take advantage of the circumstance, witnessed Standhardinger’s airball attempt without the luxury of a timeout.

The outcome of the game, defined by twists and turns and officiating controversies, represented the unpredictability and excitement that fans expect in high-stakes basketball matches. Officials’ admission of mistakes underlined the difficulties of preserving precision and fairness in the midst of fierce competition.

The linemen did not succeed in calling intentional misconduct (forgot to attend call) as well regarding Barroca in opposition to Thompson in the remaining 11.5 mere seconds remaining in the 4th quarter,” Castro stated.