ANTIPOLO CITY – What was a mere play time between two good old college buddies turned out to be a costly one for Blackwater’s Raymar Jose.
The sophomore big man got ejected with 8:45 to play after he was caught throwing the ball on the face of Roger Pogoy following a one-handed dunk thrown by the Katropa guard off a transition play.
Jose, the third pick of the Elite during the 2017 draft, was actually just playfully targeting to hit Pogoy with the ball in the mid-section. But after issuing a back pass, the ball landed instead on the chin of the Team Pilipinas stalwart.
He was later ejected during the timeout that followed the play and TnT leading by a mile, 104-72. Katropa went on to win the Petron Saturday Special game, 127-89.
“Natawa na lang ako kasi nagkukulitan lang naman kami,” said Jose, who admitted being surprised by the referee’s call.
“Akala ko technical (foul) lang, e.”
Both Jose and Pogoy were teammates at Far Eastern University and won a UAAP championship together in 2015.
As per league rule though, throwing the ball at an opponent is punished by an outright ejection as was the case on Jose’s Blackwater teammate Mike Digregorio, who did it to Phoenix import Eugene Phelps during the last Governors Cup.
Jose doesn’t know yet whether the act would result in him being fined by the Commissioner’s Office, although past incidents showed the violation meant a P20,000 penalty.
Reason why he sought out Pogoy at the venue exit shortly after the game.
“Sisingilin ko siya ng pambayad sa fine,” Jose said.
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