A FIRST PBA career ejection for coach Jong Uichico, a first career fine as well.
The NLEX mentor was fined P20,000 after being thrown out of the team’s game against Meralco for physically contacting a game official, according to Commissioner Willie Marcial.
READ Owners fume after Titan Ultra loses free agent CJ Austria to Blackwater
“Automatic yun once may contact with game officials,” said Marcial.
Also penalized for P20,000 was TNT forward Calvin Oftana for the flagrant foul penalty 2 he committed against Titan Ultra rookie Mark Denver Omega.
It was likewise the first PBA ejection for the former NCAA MVP from San Beda, who said it wasn’t intentional on his part when he hit accidentally Omega on the face after going for a basket.
“Kapag F2 automatic din yun,” Marcial added.
Uichico disclosed it was the first ejection in his career as a PBA coach after contacting a game official in the final two minutes of the Road Warriors-Bolts contest at the Ynares Center in Montalban.
“Hinolding hands ko lang siya, na-thrown out na ako,” said Uichico of the incident. “Whatever the rule is. Wala naman akong nai-experience before na na-suspend yung head coach for being thrown out of the game.”
Uichico wasn’t suspended and already called the shots for NLEX in a close 98-94 loss to San Miguel Beer on Sunday.
Meralco active consultant Nenad Vucinic was also once fined P20,000, but for a different infraction after he rushed to the officials’ table to confront the referees following the Bolts’ loss to the San Miguel Beermen in Game 2 of the Season 48 Philippine Cup Finals.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
