Game 2 of the Romanian National League semifinals, between CSM Oradea – a team advanced for the first time among the four of the nation’s best in its ten year history – and CSU Ploiesti – the Romanian champion in 8 of the last 9 season’s – ended with the final score of 90-91 after OT. The game was played in Oradea, on Thursday (02.05).
The thing is the game was influenced by the decision of an international referee. His name: Marius Ciulin. His whistle was heard approximately two minutes before the end of overtime for a decision of a situation it was imposible for him to see because he was in a blind spot (picture). Also, you can see the other referee – Fabiana Martinescu (another international referee, who refereed the Euroleague Women final in 2012 in Istanbul) who takes no action, because she can see the entire scene.
Even more, after this decision Ciulin sanctioned the home team with a technical foul to the bench even though that kind of reaction you can see on every bench where basketball is played with the game on the line. What is more ridiculous in his decision is that absolutely nobody from Oradea was talking to him or to any other referee. Also you can see he was far away of the home teams bench, while Martinescu is near it but has absolutely no reaction.
Ploiesti scored three points on that possesion (scored three of the four free throws) enough for them to come back in the game.
The picture and the video will tell much of this story (click on the picture to see it in full size).
{youtube}pnP2b-HXe10{/youtube}
One more thing about this: Oradea’s bench was never disciplined with a technical foul since Cristian Achim the head coach of the club, was named in this position in November 2009.
Game 1, played in Oradea the day before this happened, ended with the final score of 80-60 for the home team. The two teams are tied at one game apiece in the best of five series and it shifts to Brazi, where Game’s 3 and 4 are scheduled for Wednesday (08.05) and Thursday (09.05).
Video credits: DigiSport