Thursday, July 11, 2013

Cheap shot or accidental hit? A scientific analysis of the Jeric Teng-Jeoffrey Javillionar incident from a Tiger and a Bulldog




The "Push", "Hit", "Contact", "Cheap Shot" or whatever term you may want to use (depending if you are a UST, NU, Teng, or Javillionar fan) on the incident that happened in yesterday's UAAP Season 76 Men's Basketball game between the UST Growling Tigers (my Alma Mater) and the National University Bulldogs (my current employer) has caused fans from all over, from UAAP hardcore fans, to students and alumni of both schools to provide their differing opinions on what really happened at the 1:19 mark of the second quarter of that fateful game.

We, as fans can only surmise on what really happened, and it may only be Javillionar and Teng themselves who can really provide the meaningful and conclusive answers as to the reasons and motives (if any) that led to the contact that clearly affected the outcome of the game and future games especially of the Growling Tigers this season.

What I will try to accomplish is to dissect the factual evidence (ala-CSI, or in this case, Nat Geo's Air Crash Investigations) based on the game video, applying my amateur-level knowledge of Physics as well as some Bio Mechanics (all provided by my years in UST). God-willingly, we can come to an objective and unbiased conclusion as to the true nature of the incident (intentional or accidental).

(1:21 2nd Qtr)


1:21 mark, Ray Parks is double teamed in transition as Teng (at the Free Throw Line) is settling on defense focused on the ball but seeing that the fastbreak attempt by NU has been stymied, stops (and looks) tries to locate his man. Javillionar is not on the screen/play.


Jeric Teng suddenly moves to the direction of the 3-point area while still focused on Parks and the ball, seemingly trying to cut off any passing lane for Parks to his shooters (scouting report?), who by this time has managed to extricate himself from the double team and threatening to make a move to the basket or make an attempt on the basket. Javillionar is still not in the picture.


1:20 2nd Qtr: At this point, we see Javillionar enter the picture. (Notice his blurred figure, indicating he is moving pretty fast) Javillionar is trailing the play so we can assume he was running at a fast pace, when he sees the following: 1) Parks getting out of the double team, and 2) the WIDE OPEN LANE. So he naturally starts sprinting to make a dive cut to the basket, and Parks seems to sense this as well as he sees Javillionar starting his dive and is in a position to pass the ball. Teng in this picture quickly realizes this as well and is about to make a fateful adjustment on defense. Notice that Javillionar's direct line to the shaded lane (arrow) does not in any way interfere with the current position of Jeric Teng. Simply put, he had an open path to the lane, was the first player to make a move in that direction and wasn't running into the path of Jeric Teng.


In this frame you clearly see the two players making initial contact. Notice that Javillionar keeps running on the same path (compare to previous frame) and Jeric Teng is now on top of the key after making a sudden sidestep towards his right trying to anticipate a Parks pass to the area (as compared to a couple of steps to the side of the free throw semi circle the previous shot indicating that he suddenly changed direction again). In the laws of physics, it is said that two objects cannot occupy the same space at any given time. At this point (though picture is blurred), you can see that Javillionar hasn't lowered his shoulder, or extended his forearm, and more importantly is not looking at Jeric Teng (indicating no intention to hit or harm). Another thing to note is that Ray Parks, from a passing position, is suddenly attempting a shot at the basket, and this catches both Teng and Javillionar by surprise.


1:20 2nd Qtr: At this point, the two big bodies have collided at high speeds, notice that Javillionar still does not have a lowered shoulder, or extended arms or forearms, indicating that he is as surprised as Teng with the contact. Unfortunately, Jeric Teng, in the nano second right before impact (and at this point) had lost his proprioceptive sense (proprioception - the ability to sense the position and location and orientation and movement of the body and its parts.) He is helpless at this point, unable to know what is up and down, left or right, thus losing control of his body to brace for the impact (ground/floor). What makes it worse is that he has his arms extended and in an awkward position. The succeeding impact on the ground is what causes the injury on his shoulder (Sorry Jeric, no push can ever pop a shoulder as you claim. But an arm on that angle that impacts the floor surely will).

In sports terminology, it was a "bang-bang" play. The action was so sudden, and took only 2 game seconds. You can watch the video above, but you still won't see what exactly happened unless you have super slow-motion video. It was a very unfortunate incident indeed, something that we don't wish to happen on any player. But in my humble opinion, it was an unintentional hit, and nine times out of ten Jeric doesn't get injured on that play. It was just a a multitude of factors that had combined and gone horribly wrong for Jeric, sort of like a "perfect storm of physics" according to my friend from DLSU Carlo Bautista. I understand the Teng's and the UST fans getting emotional and calling it a 'dirty play', add to that Javillionar having the reputation of an 'enforcer'. But fact of the matter is it was an accident that no one wanted to happen. The UAAP Commissioners Office also had just finished reviewing the video, and gave Javillionar a 'warning' for the incident. Further proof that basketball experts concluding that it was not an intentional hit.

With that, I wish Jeric Teng a speedy recovery and hopefully he doesn't miss any games and comes back 100% for the rest of the season!

Photos and Videos courtesy of the ABS-CBN Youtube Channel.

9 comments:

  1. You gave a fairly good analysis! However, to quote you "At this point (though picture is blurred), you can see that Javillionar hasn't lowered his shoulder, or extended his forearm, and more importantly is not looking at Jeric Teng (indicating no intention to hit or harm."
    What do you make of this pic http://t.co/Ay5bcpex0p with both his forearms extended?

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  2. Thanks for reading and commenting. As I said, we, as fans can only surmise and come to our own conclusions. My opinion after carefully watching the video again and again is that Javillonar was not "head hunting" as most people are suggesting. Maybe he could have stopped, or slowed down, but from watching the video, he made the first move towards the basket, and for a split second there, Teng turns and in an instant they are on the same plane. My conclusion lang is it was not pre meditated. But it was a huge collision indeed

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  3. As someone who has experienced the agony of a dislocated shoulder, I have to disagree with this: "Sorry Jeric, no push can ever pop a shoulder as you claim."

    My shoulder popped out after an accidental collision with a big dude while scrambling for the basketball in a pick-up game. I did not crumble to the floor, which meant that my arms did not come into contact with anything other than the opponent's chest. He did not shove me either.

    There are certain angles which make the humerus (upper arm bone) vulnerable to popping out.

    In Jeric's case, the strange collision angle might have caused the shoulder injury, and the bad landing merely aggravated the pain. But the main point is, a collision could pop a shoulder.

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  4. But I do agree that Jeoffrey had no intent to "seriously" hurt Jeric.

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  5. Thank you for your reply. But, I don't think you addressed my query as to what you make of the pic in the link I posted, because this pic seems quite contradictory to your basis for why you believed the act was not pre-meditated as the pic clearly shows outstretched hands.

    And, yes, as a medical doctor, I would agree with the other commenter that it's totally possible for a bad push to cause a nasty injury. Thanks and would appreciate being enlightened!

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  6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJu7qh75b_E

    The push / nudge was very obvious at the 00:50 mark of this video.

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  7. Bernie Bee, in that photo (per se), it is pretty obvious that he both had his hands on his back. Though I may ask you to also look back at the video (frame by frame) if possible and check: 1) who made the first move to that same space they occupied at that exact point? If it was Teng, then in basketball terms, Javillonar invaded his space, thus the contact was pre-meditated. 2)If you would even go back some more, what was Javillonar's action a split second before this 'contact'? It was to make a dive cut to the basket (my point in the freeze frame pics). Add to that, are his hands and arms in an 'unnatural' position for someone running towards the basket? If yes, then you could argue that there was intention to push/harm/hit the defender.

    More importantly, if you had played, or followed competitive basketball. Usually you take cheap shots at opponents when you are on the defensive end. Not when you have the possession, and most especially when you are about to make a basketball play.

    Lastly, If we stick to the video evidence, I ask you, where was Teng when Javillonar started his forward run towards the basket? Was he in his direct path? if so, then we can say there was 'intent'. But again, in the pictures/video, Javillonar started his move (dive cut) heading straight towards the paint, then a split second later, Jeric Teng, makes an unnatural basketball move, doing a semi-spin (with his back turned) which caused him to be suddenly be in Javillonar's path. (You can liken it to a train moving then a car, at the last moment crosses the tracks. Even if the car is hit right smack on the side, does that automatically mean it's the train's fault?) If you could also see, Javillonar had his eyes and attention at Parks who initially wanted to pass to him, but shot the ball as an afterthought. In my humble opinion, Javillonar saw Teng, but it was already too late for him to stop as he was already in a sprint/gallop and Teng took the full force of Javillonar's momentum.

    Again, I am only trying to analyze the incident in an objective manner. In my conversations with current HS, college, and pro basketball coaches since yesterday, the consensus was it was a freak play, push was typical of a position, or jostling manner, only it was exacerbated by the fact that Teng spun and didn't have full control of his balance upon impact and Javillonar was full steam going towards the basket. Really just a very unfortunate play

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  8. I think there was no "head hunting" there. Javillonar did not run there just to hurt Jeric. Yes he started to run towards the basket and both got in each other's path etc. But what i saw was an extended arm before contact. sige let's say nag aabang sya ng pasa from parks. but after the contact he still extended his arms (what the other's saw as the push). so may push nga na nagawa. let's just say na part of the game yun na parang box out lang to defend his position. i think he knows naman na maraming posibilities pag bumagsak ang isang player. he has the choice to make the extra "push" or not. kasi lusot naman kung lusot with the analysis. i'm thinking of the scissor kick ng shooter. they say na it's a natural motion of some players. kaya may gray area kung intentional or not tinamaan yung defender lalo na sa groin. kung tinamaan na daplis pwedeng ok lang. if sa groin syempre masakit. pag sa abdomen at nalaglag sa floor and out of balance and mali ang position ang arms, pwedeng ma dislocate.grabe na yun.

    I also dislocated my shoulder sa baskteball. minimum 8 weeks na immobilized yan malamang and sympre may therapy pa. good thing non dominant arm ko. i think si jeric shooting arm pa ata. may tendency pa na maulit yan.

    Good job with the analysis Karl. My point is just the choices a player makes lalo na kung nagiging instinct na. just my two cents worth.

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