UE coach slams refs after Wello Lingolingo's ejection in OT loss

University of the East coach Chris Gavina expressed intense frustration after his team's overtime loss to La Salle in the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament.

Gavina specifically criticized the referees for ejecting UE star player Wello Lingolingo for an unsportsmanlike foul, stating he hopes the referees "never f****** ref again in any of our games."

He vehemently argued that the play, where Lingolingo inadvertently hit Kean Baclaan's knee causing an injury, was a common scramble for a loose ball and did not warrant an unsportsmanlike conduct call.

Gavina emphasized that Lingolingo's actions were unintentional and directly contradicted the referees' decision, stating "There's no way [he jumped purposely]."

At the time of his ejection, Lingolingo had scored 24 points, and UE was leading 89-84, with Gavina suggesting the call unfairly impacted the game's outcome.

He questioned the officiating standard, stating that such a call undermined the team's efforts and the integrity of the competition, calling it a "complete disservice to the outcome of this game."