By MARK REY MONTEJO
It was a rough Monday, Oct. 27, for National University after the University of Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) lowered the boom on guard Gelo Santiago, hitting him with a five-game suspension.
This, after an incident occurred in a UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball game between NU and Ateneo last Sunday, Oct. 26, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion, where the UAAP found Santiago’s action on Blue Eagle Waki Espina as “ dangerous non-basketball play.”
Both players were slugging it out for a rebound before Bulldogs’ Santiago hit the back of the head of Eagles’ Espina with a right forearm at the 8:50 mark of the third quarter with Ateneo leading the Jhocson-based squad by 3, 33-30.
The 5-foot-8 Santiago then was called for a disqualifying foul .
“After a review, the UAAP Season 88 Basketball Commissioner’s Office deemed Santiago’s conduct unsportsmanlike and considered the act dangerous,” UAAP wrote. “National University may file a motion for reconsideration regarding the suspension.”
Though NU managed to hack out a 66-50 victory against Ateneo, it still suffered a big blow as Santiago is one of the key pieces in their current successful run with the Bulldogs sitting atop with a 7-2 slate.
The cat-quick guard starts his suspension this Sunday, Nov. 2, with his squad facing De La Salle University followed by meetings with Adamson (Nov. 8, Far Eastern University (Nov. 12), University of the East (Nov. 15), and University of Santo Tomas (Nov. 23).
This could be the heaviest suspension so far this year in the men’s division after UE’s head coach Chris Gavina and Wello Lingolingo received four and three games suspension, respectively.
Santiago, for his part, had issued an apology to Espina, noting he was just carried away by his emotions.
“Gusto ko humingi ng pasensya kay Espina at sa Ateneo, siguro sa physical game, hindi ko na-control ‘yong emotions ko siguro pasensya nalang din kasi nagawa ko ‘yon,” said Santiago.
“Pero nasa officials nalang ‘yon, ready naman ako kung ano man ‘yong [ipapataw nila], pasensya ulit kay Espina, NU community, sa mga coaches, and sa mga Atenista,” he added.
