MANILA, Philippines - Perpetual Help yesterday made its protest on its 71-74 defeat to Mapua official as it sought to clarify three matters, including a disqualifying foul on Nigerian Femi Babayemi that led to his early ejection.
“The protest letter is already with Fr. Vic Calvo,” a source told The STAR referring to the NCAA Management Committee chair.
The Altas also want that Babayemi’s disqualifying foul be reduced to just a flagrant foul.
If the protest would be upheld, the minimum one-game suspension of the 6-7 Babayemi, Perpetual’s best rebounder and shot blocker, would be lifted, making him eligible to play in their next game against Lyceum in Subic on Sept. 25.
“Perpetual Help is hoping the foul will be downgraded to a flagrant instead of the disqualifying foul because he (Babayemi) has no intention to hurt,” said the same source.
Perpetual’s second contention was the foul away from the ball called on Jett Vidal down the stretch that should have been called a flagrant one instead of a regular foul..
League commissioner Joe Lipa said he hasn’t received the letter but said he will act on it as soon as Perpetual Help makes it official.