The Gems’ Willy Mejia drew the biggest fine of P14,000 and a one-game suspension for planting an elbow in the face of Negros’s Leo Bat-og, who retaliated with a punching foul that triggered a bench-clearing brawl in Game 2 of their best-of-three duel.
The Slashers swept the series, 2-0.
Mejia’s fine was actually pegged at P10,000 but the MBA chief added another P4,000 since it was the cager’s second offense in the season.
Bat-og, on the other hand, was slapped a P4,000 fine for his action and, like Mejia, will not see action in Friday’s Game 1 of the Slashers’ best-of-five duel with the San Juan Knights.
Two more Gems — Melvin Taguines and Roy Lura — were fined P8,000 and P5,000, respectively, for flagrant fouls.
Gems’ coach Tonichi Yturri was assessed a total fine of P7,000 for continuously cursing game officials and a technical foul.
Homer Se, Carlos Sayon, Stephen Padilla, Al Solis, Jan Montalbo and Chris De Jesus were also fined P2,000 each for joining the incident.
Aside from Bat-og, the only other Negros player who was fined was White, who was slapped a P4,000 penalty for misconduct. — Joey Villar