THE NCAA yesterday lowered the boom on Jose Rizal University forward John Amores, suspending him indefinitely for attacking College of St. Benilde players last Tuesday.
Amores charged CSB’s bench and threw punches at everyone who crossed his path, including Mark Sangco, Jimboy Pasturan, and Taine Davis. Amores, who had an earlier altercation on the court with Sangco, also hit Migs Oczon.
Amores was locked up inside the team’s dugout before league officials decided to stop the match with 3:22 remaining in the fourth quarter that was ruled as a won game for the Blazers 71-51.
“Violence has no place in the NCAA. The ManCom condemns, and will not tolerate, any acts of violence that will endanger our athletes, participants, officials, supporters, and the public,” the country’s oldest collegiate league said in a statement yesterday.
“The safety of everyone is our primordial concern.”
CSB’s Ladis Lepalam was also suspended one game, along with JRU’s Jason Tan, Joshua Guiab, Jason Celis, Marwin Dionisio, Jan Abaoag, Jonathan Medina, Karl De Jesus, and Christian Gonzales.
Blazers Mark Sangco and Chris Flores and Bomber RJ Arenal were slapped two game suspensions while JRU’s William Sy was suspended three games.
The temperamental Amores was meted an indefinite ban by the UCBL last July after he punched University of the Philippines’ Mark Gil Belmonte in a pre-season tiff.
UP has filed a criminal complaint against Amores after “JRU failed to take proactive steps” after the incident.
In games yesterday at the Arena in San Juan, Omar Larupay scored what turned out to be the game-winning short stab in the last 5.7 ticks that lifted Lyceum to a thrilling 81-80 squeaker over San Beda.
In the other game, Mapua University manhandled Arellano University 67-47 for its fourth straight win.
The wards of Lyceum coach Gilbert Malabanan forced San Beda’s Gab Cometa to miss on a drive at the buzzer that sealed the Pirates’ fitting repeat of an 86-82 triumph over Perpetual Help five days ago and hiked their mark to 10-5.
Larupay tallied 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Lyceum, while Renzo Navarro had 10 markers, four boards, and seven assists.
