Strothers suspended, fined

PBA commissioner Jun Bernardino imposed stiff sanctions on San Miguel Beer imports Lamont Strothers and Mario Bennett yesterday for their grave misconduct in their team’s 73-65 loss to the Sta. Lucia Realtors last Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Bernardino slapped a fine of P50,000 each on the two imports with Strothers also suspended for a game "for their utter disrespect of game officials and league authorities."

Irked by a referee’s call that went against him in the closing seconds of the contest, Strothers went wild and Bennett soon followed suit. Strothers berated the referees, threw the ball into the stands, kicked the San Miguel bench, threatened to hurl a utility box onto the court then took his jersey off as he refused to be pacified by teammate Robert Duat, assistant coach Bethune Tanquingcen and team manager Robert Non.

Strothers was apologetic when he met Bernardino yesterday, giving a letter to the commissioner, stating that he "regretted his action and he’s willing to face and accept punishment within reason."

But in an effort to drive a point that unsportsmanlike conduct has no place in the league, Bernardino meted Strothers and Bennett severe punishments.

"What they did was conduct unbecoming of professional basketball players, much less of imports who are being looked up upon by millions," said Bernardino after his decision was relayed to the San Miguel management.

The suspension of Strothers was the first handed out by the Commissioner’s Office on a player not involved in an oncourt fight. The P50,000 fines on Strothers and Bennett, meanwhile, were the largest given to erring players.

Strothers will serve his suspension as San Miguel plays the Hapee Philippine Team in a crucial tiff on Tuesday. Tied with Alaska Milk and RP Hapee at seventh place with identical 4-5 win-loss records, San Miguel needs to sweep its last two games to make it to the PBA Governors Cup quarterfinals without going through a playoff.

Bennett escaped suspension but may find himself with another sanction with the Commissioner’s Office now investigating a reported bar brawl involving him and Sta. Lucia imports Mike Davis and Victor Thomas.

Meanwhile, Airfreight 2100/FedEx, riding the crest of two successive victories including an 89-75 stunner of erstwhile pacesetter Purefoods last Friday, seeks to formalize a spot in the Governors Cup quarterfinals as it plays the RP Hapee at the Makati Coliseum today.

Gametime is at 6 p.m. with the Express favored to win since the ballclub enjoys a new wave of confidence and tremendous boost from its imports while its rival seems to continue to struggle physically and mentally with injuries to key players.

The Express have won five of their last seven games and enter the playing court tonight with a chance to seize solo fourth place in the chart. The rookie ballclub is currently tied with Red Bull and Sta. Lucia Realty at fourth with identical 5-4 slates.

The national hopefuls, on the other hand, have lost their last three outings and are now sharing seventh place with the Aces and the Beermen.