Blazers suspend cager; NCAA holds own probe

NCAA management committee chair Paul Supan of Jose Rizal and St. Benilde board member Henry Atayde said they will conduct an investigation on Paolo Orbeta’s alleged involvement in point-shaving activities before deciding what action to take on St. Benilde’s star player.

“The NCAA will verify this report first and for sure, we will take appropriate action. But at the moment, we reserve the right to comment until reports are submitted to us,” said Supan in a statement.

“We’re going to investigate the matter and we will cooperate with whatever government agency is handling the matter,” Atayde, for his part, said. “If we have to skip tomorrow’s (today) game, we will do so to avoid any suspicion.”

If proven guilty, Orbeta could be banned from the 83-year-old league and expelled from St. Benilde. The team has suspended the player.

“We will not tolerate such action, it goes against the conduct of being an athlete,” added Atayde.

The 24-year-old Orbeta, a member of the Welcoat Paints that won a PBL title two years ago and now with Henkel-Sista, didn’t see action last NCAA season reportedly because he disapproved of the composition of the team.

Orbeta decided to join the Blazers this season but proved to be inconsistent as he averaged 10 points, four rebounds and two assists.

The game in question was a 54-60 loss to San Sebastian last July 18 at The Arena in San Juan City where he scored 11 points in 26 minutes he saw action.

The NCAA has been under the NBI watch the past three years for alleged game-fixing.

In fact, in 2005, NBI agents on civilian clothes were seen around the playing venue observing the games and looking for suspects. It has so far been unsuccessful.

Orbeta’s best game this season came in a 74-68 win over Mapua on June 27 in a game where he scored a season-high 25 points, including four triples.

He has failed to score more than 14 points after that as the Blazers fell to a 1-6 (win-loss) slate.

In the rival UAAP, Far Eastern U, the 2005 champion, has earlier sacked starting center Alfredo Gerilla barely a few games into Season 70 reportedly because of attitude problem.

But there had been game-fixing allegations against Gerilla, a sophomore transferee from University of Visayas, but FEU officials neither confirmed nor denied them.

Last season, University of the East suspended Bon Bon Custodio in the team’s do-or-die Final Four game with eventual champion Santo Tomas on alleged suspicion of holding back on his game.