Adducul wants out of Blades

Romel Adducul yesterday signified his intention to leave LBC Batangas for any squad in the Southern Conference of the MBA, preferably Cebu following his aborted bid to join the PBA.

The power-playing 6-foot-6 Adducul, whose PBA bid was abruptly halted when owners of the Batangas team refused to give him his release papers, said that while he remains tied to his contract (with the Blades), it may be best that the MBA send him to another team.

"There’s a crack in the relationship between Romel and LBC owners and even if the row is settled there may be an unseen gap between them. It would be better for both sides if they just part ways," said Adducul’s manager Ed Ponceja.

Adducul, Ponceja added, is at a loss since he doesn’t know which team he is bound to play when the league opens its fifth season in April.

"Perhaps, we have to iron things out. The contract that he has is with the Manila Metrostars and not with the Blades," said Ponceja, adding that his ward has yet to get the P1 million bonus promised by the Blades management for helping the team win the MBA crown, plus the P175,000 paycheck he was supposed to get in the middle of the month.

Meanwhile, newly appointed MBA commissioner Chito Loyzaga has started reviewing the league’s structure, operations, finances and some legal matters.

"We’re just starting to review all things concerning the running of the league," said Loyzaga Wednesday night. "And it’s a long and tedious process so we really have to be patient."

The former PBA cager is also keen on creating guidelines for member ballclubs in terms of salary cap and the acquisition of players so as to maintain balance this season.

"There are no specifics yet but we want to give each member teams guidelines in terms of getting players and how much salary they should be paid," said Loyzaga Wednesday night after his first day in office.

Loyzaga is also contemplating on studying the league’s constitution and by-laws with emphasis on enforcing stricter rules with regards to disciplining players who have long list of fines and suspensions. — With reports from Joey Villar