SPORTS: FOUR HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS AND THREE REFEREES FACE SUSPENSION AFTER BRAWL IN CESAFI GAME
A brawl between the UCLM Baby Webmasters and the SHS-Ateneo Magis Eagles in the CESAFI Final Four match last Thursday, December 7, at the Cebu Coliseum resulted in the suspension of four high school players and three referees by the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAF).
The CESAFI Technical Committee and the league’s legal counsel Atty. Boyet Velez investigated the incident and found that it started when UCLM’s Revo Lao shoulder-checked SHS-Ateneo’s Alden Paul Cainglet who was going for a fastbreak layup with 2:03 left in the fourth quarter. Cainglet fell hard on the floor and two referees called an unsportsmanlike foul on Lao.
Lao attempted to assist Cainglet, but Jared Bahay of SHS-Ateneo slipped on the wet floor and joined them. Three more SHS-Ateneo players also ran to the spot.
John Alwyn Sala of UCLM, who had already fouled out, left the bench and entered the court, followed by three of his teammates: Dave Anthoy Iburan, Roian Andre Daclison, and Brylle Amir Diaz. Sala was caught on video and camera choking Nikolas Felipe Yu of SHS-Ateneo from behind with his left arm and a clenched right fist.
Yu managed to escape Sala’s grip with the help of assistant coach Lucky Ecarma and punched Sala in the body. The head referee Isidro Aguelo saw this and gave Yu a disqualifying foul.
Iburan was also seen with a raised right fist, ready to fight.
Before the situation was under control, Alex, the father of Cainglet, tried to enter the court and confront Lao. Hon. Dondon Hontiveros intervened and escorted him out of the playing area.
After reviewing the play and the CESAFI rules, CESAFI commissioner Felix “Boy O. Tiukinhoy, Jr., based on the committee’s recommendation, suspended Lao for two games and fined him P10,000 and required him to do four hours of community service for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Sala and Iburan were banned for the rest of Season 23 starting from the knockout game between UCLM and SHS-Ateneo on Saturday, December 9. They also had to pay P10,000 and do four hours of community service for their actions.
Yu also faced a two-game suspension, a P10,000 fine, and four hours of community service.
Cainglet’s father was also penalized. He was barred from watching the games for the rest of Season 23 in the lower box and stage area of Cebu Coliseum.
The CESAFI also acknowledged that the referees failed to stop UCLM’s Sala, Iburan, Daclison and Diaz from joining the court, which led to Sala choking Yu.
The three referees were suspended from officiating for the rest of the season for their poor game management.