THE UAAP is closely looking at the alleged spitting incident which occurred during the third quarter of the heated game between La Salle and University of the Philippines on Sunday.
Commissioner Xavy Nunag told Spin.ph that though no complaints have been lodged by any parties, it has already been standard operating procedure for the league’s technical committee to review all incidents.
“Team or individual, when it’s behavioral in nature like unsportsmanlike calls, technical fouls and the like, automatic sa Commissioner’s Office yung review niyan,” he said.
Emotions kicked up in high gear late in the third frame when both teams’ coaching staff confronted each other at center court after Fighting Maroons guard Reyland Torres was allegedly spat on by someone from the Green Archers bench, particularly coach Topex Robinson.
READ: What happened in La Salle - UP in-game spat?
Technical fouls were attested to both benches.
Figures from the UP camp immediately decried the unsportsmanlike behavior, with usually soft-spoken mentor Goldwin Monteverde saying, “Pangit kasi yung may mga ibang bagay na ginagawa sa loob na walang kaugnayan sa laro eh.”
Insiders from the La Salle side, on the other hand, argued that Torres instigated the incident by passing by in front of their bench twice and provoked them by uttering unpleasant words while hiding his mouth on his jersey, leading to Robinson shouting at the player’s direction.
Spin.ph reached out to Robinson but the champion coach politely declined from issuing further statement.
La Salle won the first Finals rematch, 68-56, to end UP’s six-game win streak and move atop of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball standings to end the first round.
Nunag, for his part, said that preliminary reports have already been submitted but it’s still subject for approval of the Board of Managing Directors.
Whether it leads to summons or penalties, however, still depends on the gravity of what will be uncovered in the investigation.
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