PBA stands by its decision to overturn Mo Tautuaa’s game-tying dunk in the Philippine Cup Finals

The TNT Tropang Giga held on after squandering a 24-point lead and benefited from a favorable—but contentious—officiating decision to defeat the San Miguel Beermen, 99–96, in Game 1 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, July 13.

However, the game’s biggest talking point came with 56 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, when San Miguel’s Mo Tautuaa had a potential game-tying dunk waved off. Officials ruled it as offensive interference, stating that Tautuaa pulled the rim down before the ball went in. The controversial call proved pivotal, as Calvin Oftana later sank two free throws to seal a nervy win for TNT.

PBA authorities confirmed after the game that the correct decision was made, with deputy commissioner Eric Castro revealing that Tautuaa had pulled the rim after converting a slam that initially bounced off the ring.

“As you can see in the replay, when Mo dunked in the last 56 seconds, he pulled the ring down. The contention of the coaching staff was that the ball went straight in and entered the ring. Regardless of whether the ball touched the ring, the fact that he pulled it down is a violation. It’s considered offensive basket interference. You can pull the ring once the ball has passed through the net,” Castro explained.

Castro added that the officials were unable to make the call immediately due to the lack of a dead-ball situation, which contributed to the controversy.

Commissioner Eric Castro explains why Mo Tautuaa’s dunk was deemed as basket interference.

According to Castro, while the ball was on its way to the basket, Tautuaa shook the ring which automatically merits as a basket interference. #PBAFinals @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/qqLT86qUHK

— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) July 13, 2025

“That was the only time we could review it. We had been reviewing it during the live ball, but that was the only moment we could announce the correction through our barker. In the event that there was no dead ball and the game ended with that score, under our rules, we could still correct it. TNT could have won without the correction, but the review clarified the situation.

“Why did we initiate the review? Just like any goaltending violation, the technical committee can review it. It just so happened that our officials didn’t make the call, so the decision fell to the technical committee. That’s our simple explanation,” Castro concluded.

However, the decision did not sit well with San Miguel officials. Team governor Robert Non was seen storming the officials’ table, while team manager Gee Abanilla and sports director Alfrancis Chua were visibly upset.

The overturned call spoiled what could have been a stunning comeback for San Miguel, who outscored TNT 30–14 in the fourth quarter. The Beermen, trailing 74–92 entering the final period, nearly pulled off a dramatic turnaround behind strong performances from June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, and Don Trollano.

Game 2 of the Finals is scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and promises to be another thrilling encounter.

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