Is Maierhofer 'shoe-palpal' legal? PBA official gives take By @richava http://t.co/Of1Q3RFLyQ via @spinph pic.twitter.com/PYd9DmmdGP
— SPIN.ph (@spinph) May 27, 2015
Wednesday’s PBA game between Barako Bull and San Miguel Beer featured a bizarre incident where Rico Maierhofer attempted to block a shot by Gabby Espinas with his shoe.
While Maierhofer was unsuccessful in swatting the ball away, his move did cause Espinas to turn the ball over which led to an easy layup for Maierhofer’s Barako Bull teammate Joseph Yeo.
According to Spin PBA operations director Rickie Santos, Maierhofer’s innovative defensive tactic could have warranted a technical foul for using a “foreign object” during the game. However, it’s hard to say what the ruling should have been given that there’s no precedence for shoe blocks.
Without the benefit of looking at a league rule book, Santos explained that such a move was unprecedented in the PBA’s 40-year existence though game officials should probably have taken notice of it.
One has to hand it to Maierhofer. Defense is all about effort so it’s damn near impossible to knock his hustle on this play.
Maierhofer's Sasapatusin Kita Depensa #88Unknown
Posted by PBA and NBA World on Wednesday, May 27, 2015
