UAAP sacks NU cagebelle

MANILA, Philippines - The UAAP yesterday suspended National University’s Meliza Mandap for one game for kicking an opponent in the Lady Bulldogs’ 58-61 setback to the Ateneo Lady Eagles in women’s play last Sunday.

“We’ll have to strictly follow the rules and as per rules, she is suspended for one game,” UAAP commissioner Ato Badolato told The STAR yesterday.

Mandap was caught kicking Ateneo’s Sarah Mercado during a loose-ball scramble in the final minute of their hotly disputed match, resulting to an ejection that merited such a penalty, according to Badolato.

She will sit out NU’s next game against the Far Eastern U Lady Tams on July 28.

Mandap was the first player to be meted a suspension in Season 73 of the country’s premier cage league although the UAAP had already sacked three referees for what it termed were “bad calls” and “non-calls” during the July 15 Ateneo-Adamson men’s tussle.

Badolato suspended referees Dominique Pomar, Lucio dela Torre and Glen Cornello for two games for their poor performances in the said game narrowly won by the back-to-back champions Blue Eagles, 69-66.

The UAAP has, from the start, stressed that it would enforce league rules to the letter and would not hesitate to crack the whip on misbehaving players and even erring game officials.