CEBUANO point guard Michael Sereño is looking to clear his name after he was included in the list of Siquijor players banned from the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup despite not being with the team in the Alcantara bubble.
The former University of Southern Philippines Foundation standout said he attended one practice session of the Siquijor Mystics on March 30 and left Moalboal on April 2 because of a personal matter that he had to attend to.
However, much to his surprise, he saw his name on the list of players from the Mystics squad banned for life from the VisMin Cup for its dubious play against the ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City Heroes on Wednesday.
Sereño admitted the play of his former teammates did look peculiar and it’s unfortunate that his name got dragged into the brouhaha even if he never even got to play a single VisMin Cup game with the ballclub.
“What they did wasn’t right and it’s unfortunate that my name got dragged into this mess,” said Sereño. “I already went out of the bubble. I hope the organizers look into this so that it can be rectified.”
“Yes, I am a member of the Siquijor Mystics but during the games, especially this controversial game, I wasn’t able to play,” he added.
Sereño said it never ever crossed his mind to participate in any shenanigans.
“Isip usa ka basketbolista, wala gyud na muabot sa akong tibuok kinabuhi nga mag hugaw-hugaw sa ana nga propesyon kay mao na ako damgo og wa gyud pud ko gitudloan sa ako mga mentor mg binuang sa duwa,” shared Sereño.
[Being a basketball player, never in my entire life has it ever crossed my mind to do anything that would sully the game. This is my dream and I have always been taught by my coaches to always play the right way,]
Sereño pleaded with the league organizers to look into this since it pains him and his family to see his name on the blacklist.
“With earnest plea, mg hinaut ko sa mga organizers sa PILIPINAS VISMIN SUPER CUP nga ila unta i-consider ang akong side kung angay ba ko ma banned kay sakit kaayo para nako na makita akong pangalan.”
[I am pleading with the organizers of the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup to hear out my side and determine if I really should be banned. It hurts to see my name on the blacklist when I wasn’t even playing nor was I inside the bubble.]
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