NCAA launches probe on Koga issue

MANILA, Philippines – The NCAA has officially announced it is holding an investigation into the allegation that San Beda guard Ryusei Koga violated a league rule by playing in a tournament outside the league during the 89th NCAA basketball tournament.

Management Committee chair Dax Castellano said he will head the six-man committee, also comprising of Emilio Aguinaldo, Arellano U, Jose Rizal, Lyceum and Mapua or schools that didn't make it to the Final Four, that will look into the "Koga issue."

"A committee has been formed and I will head this group to look deeper into the matter," said Castellano after the board's Tuesday night meeting that lasted over two hours at The Arena in San Juan City.

Castellano confirmed they've already received some pieces of evidence, including videos alleging that Koga saw action in an inter-barangay tournament in Paranaque City last Sept. 17, although they need to verify it and perhaps find some more proofs along the way.

"Nothing is final and every piece of evidence must be verified first because we don't want to be unfair to the kid (Koga) and San Beda," he said.

San Beda's board representative Jose Mari Lacson said they're also conducting their own probe on the matter.

"We're having our own investigation but we will also wait for their investigation and see what happens," Lacson told The STAR.

Based on new rules implemented last year, Koga, if found guilty, will be suspended for three games and San Beda faces forfeiture of all matches he played the time he committed the offense, as opposed to the old rule forfeiting all the games of the offending school.

Koga played in five of San Beda's six games after Sept. 17 and lost four of it. He was sent to the freezer and didn't see action in the Lions' last elimination round rout of Arellano U Saturday.

Counting all that, San Beda would free-fall from No. 1 after the double-round elimination to No. 4 in the Final Four where it will forge an unlikely showdown with Letran, which jumps from No. 2 to No. 1.

No. 2 San Sebastian will then clash No. 3 Perpetual Help in the other semis duel.

At present, San Beda, title winner of six of the last seven seasons including a three-peat feat, is at No. 1 with a 15-3 record, followed by Letran (14-4) and San Sebastian and Perpetual Help on 11-7 cards.