NCAA sacks ref for 'lack of judgment'

MANILA, Philippines - The NCAA yesterday suspended a referee for indecisiveness in the Mapua-Letran duel marred by a last second fracas and bench-clearing incident last Saturday.

League commissioner Aric del Rosario sacked Matt Calizar for three games for his “lack of judgment” in the last 27 seconds of the match, won by Letran, 76-65.

Letran’s Kevin Alas taunted Mapua’s Fil-Palestinian rookie Yousef Taha, who threw the ball to Alas in an inbound play, resulting in a bench-clearing incident. Alas’ elder brother Kris and Jamil Gabawan were later tossed out of the game.

Del Rosario eventually suspended Taha, Alas and Gabawan for one game for their unsportsmanlike act and reprimanded the younger Alas.

“We just want to set an example that we will not tolerate these acts,” said Del Rosario in Filipino.

It marked the third time in just three days that the league has sacked a player or a game official. San Sebastian’s Calvin Abueva was slapped a one-game suspension for an infraction he committed in last year’s finale topped by San Beda via a record sweep.

Del Rosario also warned players that any ejection this year would mean an automatic one-game suspension based on league rules.

“If we will base it on FIBA rules alone, an ejection doesn’t necessarily merit an automatic one-game suspension but we’re also using the NCAA rules that say it should suspended and we’re using both that’s why we’re applying it this year,” he said.

A suspension also automatically disqualifies the offender from any individual awards this year.

San Beda standout Nigeria’s Sam Ekwe, who led the MVP race in 2007, was disqualified in the battle for the coveted crown after he was thrown out in one game in the elimination round.

Ekwe, however, went home with three championships with San Beda topped by the 2006 and 2008 MVP trophies.