Your thoughts please.

To each his/her own, but I probably would've addressed the coach about the comment & asked that he handle it as the game was over.
Perception-wise, coach saw you chasing after his "star player" who had just suffered a loss and probably wasn't aware that such comments were made.

It sounds as if you had a few opportunities to address his unsporting behavior before it got out of hand.

He usually makes some whiney face but nothing I can't ignore.

Gestures maybe?
"Coach your player would be wise to resist from making any more gestures after my calls or lack-there-of"

I'm learning that the more vocal we are & the more prevenitive we try to be, the better our games are managed.