JONAS Tibayan is applying for the PBA Season 50 Draft, weeks after getting involved in a punching incident in the MPBL while playing for Mindoro.
The 26-year-old Tibayan is looking for a shot at the PBA after being on a receiving end of a punch by Michole Sorela during an MPBL game between Mindoro and Gensan last August 11 at the Batangas City Coliseum.
READ Sorela hit with MPBL lifetime ban, P200K penalty for Tibayan sucker punch
Agent Danny Espiritu confirmed that Tibayan will be filing his application but will keep his options open until days before the draft, saying “mag-file siya pero titignan niya ‘yung situation, baka magbago isip niya.”
Tibayan sustained several injuries after he was hit by a sucker punch by Sorela that left him bloodied. He sustained a concussion, broken jaw, busted lip, and a fractured shoulder due to the punch.
Tibayan files charges
The 6-foot-3 Tibayan also filed charges against Sorela, who was banned for life by the MPBL and made to pay a P200,000 fine for the incident.
Tibayan hasn’t played for Mindoro in the MPBL since the incident. He has been spotted wearing a face mask in public including when he and Mindoro team owner and Pola, Occidental Mindoro mayor Ina Alegre filed a case against Sorela.
It remains unclear if Tibayan will be fit to participate in the PBA Draft Combine, which is scheduled a few days before the September 7 draft.
Once a member of Batang Gilas team that played in the FIBA Asia U18 Championship in 2016, Tibayan played high school for Chiang Kai Shek College before moving to National University in college.
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