The UAAP has deemed UP Fighting Maroons guard Reyland Torres eligible to play in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the Season 87 men's basketball finals, despite collecting two unsportsmanlike fouls against the De La Salle Green Archers in Game 2.
UP Fighting Maroons guard Reyland Torres is cleared to play in Game 3 of the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball finals this Sunday, despite accumulating two unsportsmanlike fouls in Game 2.
UP support page "Nowhere to go but UP" reported the league decision on Thursday, a day after the De La Salle Green Archers won Game 2 to force a winner-take-all on December 15.
The first unsportsmanlike foul occurred with 5:33 remaining in the third quarter, when Torres committed an Unsportsmanlike Foul (UF) category 2 on EJ Gollena. This is considered an excessive, hard contact caused by a player in an effort to play the ball or an opponent.
The second unsportsmanlike foul happened with 2:58 left in the game, when Torres attempted to stop a fast break. He was ejected from the game, which would have warranted an automatic suspension.
However, the UAAP deemed this to be a UF Category 4--or an illegal contact caused by the player from behind or laterally on an opponent who is progressing toward the basket, with no other defenders between the player and the basket.
"Because of the nature of the second foul, Torres will be eligible to play in Game 3," according to nowhere to go but UP. "The same case as Adamson's Jhon Calisay back on November 23, 2024."