No scrapping NCAA season – Mancom

The NCAA Management Committee yesterday quashed off reports that the 83rd NCAA men’s basketball tournament would be scrapped in the face of a snowballing legal showdown between the Mancom and San Beda sparked by Yousif Aljamal’s alleged violation of a league rule.

League lawyers have already submitted documents and position papers in a hearing at the Manila Regional Trial Court yesterday after San Beda filed a TRO (temporary restraining order) on the league’s suspension order against Aljamal Wednesday. The TRO will expire today.

“Since it is with the court already, we cannot talk about the case. The NCAA hopes San Beda College will do the same. But rest assured, while the court hearings are taking place, the games will continue. Besides, we never entertained the thought of aborting the season,” the Mancom said in a statement.

Sources said San Beda is poised to seek an extension of the TRO in anticipation of the league’s implementation of its suspension order on Aljamal after the expiration of the first court order.

The top San Beda cager was disbarred from playing by the Mancom for the rest of the season after the school failed to notify the league of Aljamal’s intention to join the PBA three-day camp, which served as a prelude to the PBA draft. The NCAA 2006 Finals MVP was chosen eighth overall by Air21 before he was dealt to Talk n Text.

The Mancom Policy Board later decided to suspend Aljamal only until the end of the elimination round.

But San Beda obtained a TRO, enabling Aljamal to play against Jose Rizal last Wednesday. The Lions’ next game will be on Aug. 29 against the Perpetual Help Altas.

Observers note the filing for an extension of the TRO would pave the way for a long-drawn-out legal battle between the league and San Beda.

Talks on scrapping the tournament could also lead to legal complications since the league is bound by a contract with television giant ABS-CBN’s UHL channel Studio 23, which expires on 2011.

Meanwhile, officials of the Mendiola-based school had refused to confirm nor deny reports that San Beda is also considering an option to pull out of the league.