Air21 big man fined for Abueva attack

MANILA, Philippines – Air21 center Rob Reyes escaped suspension but was meted a Php 10,000 fine after giving Alaska rookie Calvin Abueva a smack on the face in a loose ball scramble near midcourt in their heated game last Wednesday.

Upon review of the game tape and hearing Reyes’side in Tubod, Lanao del Norte prior to the Air21-Rain or Shine duel later in the afternoon, PBA Commissioner Chito Salud exercised his “authority to sanction players who upon playback and review are deemed to have committed a dangerous play or a rough and unsportsmanlike tactic that was undetected in the course of the game.”

Reyes was assessed with the fine after Salud found him guilty of flagrant foul penalty one on Abueva and for trashtalking/taunting him immediately thereafter during the last minute of the Air21 104-103 win over Alaska last Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Reyes’ acts are aggravated by the fact that they were unnecessarily committed when play had already shifted away from both players,” Salud told philstar.com in a text message.

Prior to this, the PBA has also meted a four-game suspension on referee Jimmy Mariano, who missed the call.

After a meeting with the Alaska coaching staff last Thursday, Salud vowed to protect the rookies, whom they felt are subject to a “rude welcome” in the PBA.

“I am also reminding our players to refrain from needlessly exposing other players, along with themselves, to serious injury and undue hurt thru intentional and blatantly dirty and rough play as this will invariably be met with penalties and sanctions from my office,” Salud added in the text message.

Abueva and the Aces will try to arrest a 3-game losing skid against the resurgent and crowd-favorite Ginebra San Miguel tomorrow at the Big Dome after the Petron-GlobalPort duel at 4pm.