By MARY REY MONTEJO
University of the Philippine heaved a sigh of relief on Thursday night after Reyland Torres – one of its key players – got a reprieve and will play in the deciding Game 3 of the UAAP Season 87 Finals on Sunday.
Torres, 22, was assessed with two unsportsmanlike fouls in Game 2 of the best-of-three final series that saw the State U absorb a stinging 76-75 defeat to reigning champion La Salle that forced a sudden death,
The 6-foot-1 forward committed his first after a loose ball sequence that saw him make a hard contact on La Salle’s EJ Gollena at the 5:33 mark of the third quarter which then followed by technical fouls on both squads’ benches.
It was categorized as an UF 2 (excessive, hard contact).
His ejection occurred in the payoff period with 2 minutes and 58 seconds remaining as he attempted to stop a fastbreak play by Green Archer CJ Austria.
He got UF 4 for his illegal contact.
But because of the lightness or nature of his foul, UAAP agreed to let Torres play for for the Maroons in their do-or-die match with the Archers.
