Game 5 to be resumed close doors

MBA commissioner Ogie Narvasa yesterday said that the suspended Game Five of the MBA finals between San Juan and Negros will be resumed tomorrow behind closed doors with the Knights keeping an 87-65 lead over the Slashers with 11:38 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Although Narvasa refused to name the venue, MBA sources said it will be held at the Ateneo gym beginning at 9 a.m. with the management of both teams agreeing on resuming the tumultuous match that was stopped after a debris-throwing incident marred the fourth quarter of the fifth game at the USLS Gym in Bacolod City last Sunday.

The best-of-seven title series is tied at 2-2.

Narvasa ordered the resumption of the contest upon consultation with the Negros and San Juan officials yesterday since no rules in the MBA book covers the said case.

"Since there is no rule in the book that would decide on such case, I am exercising the elastic power (of the commissioner) to decide on such extraordinary situation," said Narvasa.

Fearing for the safety of the players, Narvasa ordered the suspension of the game, which was actually first halted with 4:30 left in the third quarter when the pro-Negros crowd, in protest of the officiating, littered the court with all kinds of debris – from coins to plastic mineral water bottles to canned softdrinks and even lipstick cannisters.

"We can do nothing but to respect the decision," said Negros coach Robert Sison, stressing that the Slashers will be at the disadvantage with Cid White suspended and Alvin Teng indisposed.

A victory by the Knights will move them a win away from the championship and they will have two chances to clinch it on Games 6 and 7, which they will both host at the San Juan gym.

The Knights swept the first two games before the Slashers levelled the series by winning the next two matches.

It marks the first time that an MBA match was suspended and will be resumed from where it was stopped although a similar incident occurred in the Southern Conference semifinals between Cebu and Negros last year although then commissioner Ramon Fernandez ordered the replay of the said game from the start.