EAC forfeits game; Altas win upheld

Games today

11 a.m. – Mapua vs Arellano (Jrs)

1 p.m. – Jose Rizal vs San Beda (Jrs)

3 p.m. – Jose Rizal vs San Beda (Srs)

MANILA, Philippines - Emilio Aguinaldo College yesterday forfeited its game against Perpetual Help after being left with only four players following suspensions in the aftermath of the free-for-all that marred the EAC-Mapua encounter in the NCAA last Monday.

After the league slapped those involved in the melee with suspensions, the Generals were left with only Jozhua General, Jerald Serrano, Christ Mejos and Ai Indin.

Meanwhile, the league yesterday upheld Perpetual Help’s 76-75 victory over San Beda also last Monday as it denied the latter’s protest for lack of merit.

“After deliberating the protest of SBC and hearing the explanation made by all parties, Mancom decided to deny the protest and affirm the result of the game,” the Mancom said in a statement.

Perpetual thus preserved its 9-6 card then moved to 10-6 following EAC’s forfeiture to snatch fourth place over Jose Rizal U, which dropped to fifth at 9-6.

In its protest, SBC claimed Perpetual’s Joel Jolangcob’s triple in the third quarter shouldn’t have been counted since the Altas’ 24-shot clock has expired.

General, a rookie, was the lone EAC player who was not thrown out after he stayed on the bench during the fracas while Serrano, Mejos and Indin later escaped suspensions.

“Based on league rules, a game is automatically forfeited if a team has only less than five players,” said NCAA Management Committee chair Paul Supan.

EAC actually has two more eligible players but Cameroonian Noube Happi and Igee King have long left the team due to personal reasons.

The suspended EAC players were John Tayongtong (five games), Jan Jamon (3), Ariel Aguilar (3), Jack Arquero (3), Sydney Onwubere (3), John Santos (2), Manelle Quilanita (2), Edsel Saludo (2) and Faustine Pascual (1).

The forfeiture kept the Generals in the cellar with a 4-13 card while boosting Perpetual Help’s semis chances.

Four-peat champion and semifinalist San Beda leads the league with a 13-3 (win-loss) slate while Arellano U and St. Benilde tote 11-4 and 10-5 cards, respectively.

EAC, meanwhile, will be able to show up in its last game against San Sebastian although with just five players since only Faustine Pascual is set to return from a one-game suspension.

Mapua, for its part, will also forfeit its game against Letran on Monday, also with just four players in CJ Isit, Joseph Eriobu, Jessie Saitanan and Jeson Cantos.

Suspended were Leo Gabo (four games), Jomari Tubiano (3), Justin Serrano (2), James Galoso (2), Exeqiel Biteng (2), Andrew Estrella (2), Jerome Canaynay (1), Ronnel Villasenor (1) and Darrel Magsigay (1).

League commissioner Bai Cristobal also sacked and fined referees Molly de Luna, Menard Ballecer and Cholo Caoile for failing to control the tumultuous match, which was later awarded to the Generals, 86-77, with still 28.5 seconds to go.

In the non-bearing seniors game, San Sebastian drew 25 points from CJ Perez as the Stags routed the Lyceum Pirates, 82-66, to end a 10-game slide and improve to 4-11.

The Pirates fell to 6-10.