Too Harsh in Pasco’s Violence on Referee?

In March, Pervis Pasco rose to fame for his impressive dunk shot during the Korean Basketball League All-Star game.

The American center of LG Sakers displayed a high-power reverse dunk to win the dunk contest against other towering imports as well as the hearts of local basketball fans. In the decade long history of the league, there have been few air shots that created such hype.

He would have remained a local favorite had he not done what he did on the court last week, something unprecedented in the league, something very violent. Pasco pushed a referee for a foul call during the Sakers' third playoff match with the KTF Magic Wings in Pusan, Thursday, and the KBL expelled him from the league the next day.

The player was disgraced sealing his reputation as a ``bad boy.'' Last year he was suspended for three games in November for assaulting another team's foreign player.

But some have come to Pasco's defence.

Some say the Magic Wings center Jang Young-jae, who provoked the foul by defending Pasco too closely and swearing at him, should have shared some of the responsibility.

Pasco pushed him in anger and referee Choi Han-cheol ordered the American player off the court, before being elbowed down. Jang received only a one-game suspension.

Pasco's teammate and a popular forward Hyun Joo-yup said Pasco has been hard pressed by Korean players' violent and excessive checking.

``Imported centers are not easy to defend against, so Korean players tend to use more aggressive defense against them,'' Hyun said.

Pasco, who left Sunday for the United States, could not be reached for comment. But, he told Korean reporters after the Thursday's match, he felt threatened by Jang's defense.

According to LG players and officials, Pasco had been a good man off the court. He was cooperative, well mannered and participated in all team events.

``He was a nice player and kept a friendly relationship with other teammates,'' said Jung Taek-ki, a Sakers media official. ``But, he had little experience on the court, and maybe he lacked knowledge on how to control himself under such circumstances.''

Pasco, 26, graduated from Kansas State University in 2003 and played in the Italian and Turkish leagues before coming to Korea last September.

Aaron McGhee, KTF MagicWings center, said Pasco overreacted and should have restrained himself, but the referee is responsible as well for letting it happen.

``You know, the referee out there should've really prepared so that it wouldn’t escalate to where Pervis had hit him,'' McGhee said in a telephone interview, during Tuesday's training session for the championship series, beginning today. The Magic Wings, who beat the Sakers 3-1, will play the Mobis Phoebus for their maiden league title.

``He could've ended it, telling the Korean player not to do that. It's kind of a dirty tactic, but the referee has to take care of that,'' he said.

Some think, however, his actions were inexcusable.