SIQUIJOR'S shortlived campaign in the Pilipinas Vismin Super Cup continued to be the talk of the town, days after a controversial game against the Lapu-Lapu City Heroes raised allegations of game-fixing.
But for curious onlookers, there's one common figure whose involvement in the dubious game triggered flashbacks of a similarly farcical result that happened in the PBA D-League two years earlier.
His name: Joel Palapal.
The Siquijor head coach was one of those banned by the debuting regional league for their involvement in a game last April 14 that saw the Mystics and Heroes brick free throws off the backboard and bungle wide-open layups.
But as ridiculous as that game was, Palapal figured in games with more farcical results two years earlier when he coached Hyperwash in the 2019 PBA D-League Foundation Cup.
Believe it or not, that Hyperwash team lost one game to BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare by a grand total of 63 points in the quarterfinals, 180-117, back on September 16, 2019 and set a slew of dubious league records along the way.
That Viper team wasn't inferior at all as it had the likes of JR Cawaling, Arvie Bringas, and Mac Montilla as well as former Ateneo star Ryan Buenafe and Jan Cedric Penaflor, both of whom were also part of the Mystics team in the VisMin Cup.

Also suiting up for that Hyperwash team were Lord Casajeros, now a part of MJAS Zenith Talisay Aquastars, and Abubakar Dadjilul, now with Tabogon Voyagers.
Among the declared officials of the team were Zara Mae Morelos as team owner and Martine Bolivar as team manager.
That Hyperwash team actually had a respectable record, finishing fourth in its group in the eliminations with a 3-3 card.
Still, there were red flags in that campaign from the elimination phase - first a 129-72 defeat to BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare, and later a high-scoring 144-138 shootout against McDavid-La Salle Araneta.
But no game raised more eyebrows than that quarterfinal loss to BRT Sumisip, where the Vipers allowed the Saints to set the league record for most points in a game (180 points), most points in a half (108 in the second half), and most points in a quarter (60 points in the third quarter) on a scorching hot 61-percent from the field.
In contrast, Hyperwash only made 45-percent of its shots, with Cawaling going 10-of-18 to lead the crew with 27 points in the defeat.
Buenafe, who averaged 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 23 minutes through the three games he played in the eliminations, only logged 10 minutes in the Vipers' defeat and was held to five points and six boards.
That game was one of a number of strange results in that D-League conference that prompted PBA commissioner Willie Marcial to summon some players, coaches, and teams officials and serve out a stern warning.
PBA offiicials confirmed Palapal was among those called by the commissioner.
After the meetings, the PBA sent out a memorandum saying that anyone proven to be guilty of game-fixing and point-shaving will be perpetually banned from the developmental league.
Marcial also vowed reforms to ensure the integrity of the games in the PBA D-League, beginning with a more stringent screening process for new teams.
Two years later and the stench of the said incident still lingers. Yet Palapal resurfaced in the inaugural VisMin Cup tournament and was able to call the shots for a Siquijor team that was banned after only a couple of matches.
On Friday, the governor of Siquijor Zaldy Villa disowned the Mystics team while VisMin Cup COO Rocky Chan accused the coach and listed Siquijor team owner Bernard Lim of 'misrepresenting' the province in the league.
Strange? You bet.
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