The Meralco versus Phoenix PBA Governors’ Cup game on Friday marked the first time a woman officiated an official PBA match.

Janine Nicandro was one of four game officials who refereed the match that saw the Bolts beating the Fuel Masters, 108-103.

The 23-year-old admitted feeling the jitters when she officiated her first PBA game.

"Nakaka-tense po, nakaka-kaba," Nicandro said. "Pero masaya po."

"Na-pressure po pero kailangan natin i-overcome," added the Laguna State Polytechnic University graduate.

Nicandro and Edith Boticario are the two lady referees appointed by the league to officiate games in the season-ending conference.

Before officiating the Meralco-Phoenix match, Nicandro spent three years in the PBA D-League honing her craft.

She was a former basketball varsity player before trying her hand at refereeing games.

She said it was former referee Celso Rivera who encouraged her to try out the job.

After her first PBA game, Nicandro feels ready to handle crucial matches.

"Nai-imagine ko na po, tingin ko po masaya. Kailangan ko po trabahuhin pero kakayanin," she said. -- With a report from Paul Lintag, ABS-CBN Sports

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