Zamboanga survived expansion team Ilagan Isabela, 63-62, in a gut-wrenching, down-to-the-wire encounter on Friday at the Paco Arena, allowing this powerhouse team from Mindanao to snatch a victory and improve its win-loss mark to 9-2.
But the Cowboys questioned the last play where Reggz Gabat altered the last-second heave of Gab Gomez, a shot that might be ruled as basket interference and should have counted the long three-point attempt of the Ilagan Isabela guard.
A replay saw Gomez’s shot was on its downward path when Gabat altered the desperation three-point attempt taken from near half court.
Game officials reviewed the final play and decided Gabat didn’t touch the ball and the rim, but a video was shown by Ilagan Isabela coaching consultant Glenn Capacio, seeing the Zamboanga forward slightly touching the ball and the cylinder of the rim and the Cowboys would use this as evidence accompanied by its letter to question the no call.
Pending the league’s decision on the outcome, Ilagan Isabela’s record now stands at 5-6. The Cowboys were looking to bring down another playoff contender as a fitting follow up to their 90-83 triumph over former league champion Batangas City-Tanduay Rum Masters last week at the Capital Arena in Ilagan City.
This is the second time Ilagan Isabela has questioned a controversial non-call during a crucial moment in a game.
About a month ago, the Cowboys also engaged in a hard-fought match against the Pangasinan Heatwaves in a game where Ilagan Isabela’s Gab Gomez was taken down by Michael Mabulac, but there was no whistle on the part of the game officials.
This time, the Cowboys are hoping to change their fortunes, knowing they presented a strong case to contest the non-call.
Overshadowed by Zamboanga’s tense win was Abra’s one-sided 103-75 win over Sarangani and Quezon City’s 91-79 triumph over Manila.
