Lyceum’s Francisco, Ambohot slapped with one-game bans

MANILA, Philippines – The NCAA suspended two more Lyceum players for their unsportsmanlike acts in its 76-83 defeat to Emilio Aguinaldo in a first round 89th NCAA basketball tournament elimination round game at The Arena in San Juan City last Saturday.

Mark Francisco and Joseph Ambohot both got a minimum one-game ban for the unsportsmanlike foul they committed that led to their ejection in the second half of that Lyceum-EAC showdown.

"They were disqualified, so one game suspension minimum," league commissioner Joe Lipa told The STAR Wednesday.

Curiously, the player Francisco and Ambohot fouled with an intent to hurt was EAC rookie Sidney Onwubere, who was first sucker-punched in the stomach by the former before he was hit in the head by the latter several plays later.

Francisco and Ambohot are the fourth and fifth players suspended by the league with the other three being Pirates' team captain Andrei Mendoza, Dexter Zamora and Tirso Lesmoras, Jr.

Mendoza and Lesmoras already served their one-game suspensions while Zamora has only served one match and will still be out for two more outings after getting assessed a three-game ban for his unsportsmanlike act in the team's loss to St. Benilde, 69-75, last week.

It means Francisco, Ambohot and Zamora will sit out when Lyceum clashes with Jose Rizal on Aug. 15 also at The Arena in San Juan.

The NCAA is currently on a two week-break to give way for the FIBA-Asia Championship unfolding Thursday and concluding on Aug. 11 at the MOA Arena in Pasay City. The league resumes on Aug. 12 with a pair of games pitting Arellano U and St. Benilde and San Beda and San Sebastian.