UC-USPF Basketball Melee:Players, coaches fined, suspended

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. through its Commissioner's Office has suspended two players from the University of Southern Philippines Foundation Baby Panthers and the University of Cebu Junior Webmasters as well as the assistant coaches of both teams for their involvement in a near free-for-all that marred the UC-USPF duel in the 2019 CESAFI Partner's Cup last Thursday night at the University of San Carlos-Main gym.

"The four involved in the incident and the other one for unsportsmanlike conduct are all suspended with sanctions," said CESAFI commissioner Felix 'Boy' O. Tiukinhoy, Jr.

Aside from the one-game ban, Eldebrando Sevillejo of UC, Elijah Singson of USPF and assistant coaches Gary Hotelano of the Junior Webmasters and Christian Bacus of the Baby Panthers were also fined P5,000 each and must render a three-hour community service before they will be allowed to go back to their respective teams.

USPF's Kyle Ochavo was automatically meted with the same penalty after being thrown out of the game for an unsportmanlike foul and a technical foul at the final 2:34 mark of the contest.

After Ochavo's banishment from the playing court, tension further flared when Sevillejo and Singson figured in a heated altercation near the midcourt with only 20 seconds left to play.

Coaches from both sides joined the fray but cooler heads prevailed in preventing the situation from escalating into a full-blown melee.

In the aftermath of that ugly episode, Sevillejo and Singson were ejected as well assistant coaches Hortelano and Bacus resulting to their suspensions.

UC went on to win the tumultuous match, 75-60, its third straight in as many starts to earn a share of the juniors division lead with the ARQ Builders-University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers.