The MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) slapped Michole Solera of the Gensan Warriors with a lifetime ban and a P200,000 fine for a disqualifying foul that sent Jonas Tibayan of the Mindoro Tamaraws to the hospital during their Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season game at the Batangas City Coliseum Monday night, Aug. 11.
Solera hit Tibayan on the face with his right hand while they were moving for position, sending the 6-foot-3 forward sprawled on the floor with injuries, including a concussion, broken jaw, a busted lip, and a fractured shoulder incurred when he fell.
Upon reviewing the footage of the incident, MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes decided on the stiff sanctions.
“We condemn the incident, and the MPBL won’t tolerate such actions. It compromises the player’s safety and taints the league’s image.
“I’ve seen the worst (in basketball) and this is one of them. The league has the full authority to impose sanctions on this deplorable behavior,” said Duremdes, a PBA all-time great.
Sorela also faces a probable lifetime ban and revocation of license from the (GAB) Games and Amusements Board supervising the MPBL.
The P200,000 fine surpassed the P100,000 penalty Germy Mahinay, then playing for the Negros Muscovados,” got for undercutting a driving Joey Barcuma of Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines, in 2024. Mahinay was also slapped with a lifetime ban by the GAB for the same incident.
Tibayan was stretchered out, brought to a local hospital, and was later transferred to the New Era Hospital in Manila for further examination and evaluation by team owner Pola Mayor Jennifer Cruz (also known as Ina Alegre).
The Mindoro Tamaraws won, 76-72, to raise their record to 13-10, just behind the 13-9 slate of their victims in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.
Bamban Gamalinda led the Tamaraws with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists, followed by Wendelino Comboy with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, and Josph Sedurifa with 12 points and 7 rebounds.
GenSan drew 21 points and 10 rebounds from Kyle Tolentino, 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals from Chris Masaglang, and 12 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists from Anthony Bringas.
Mark Cruz scored on a follow-up with 0.3 seconds left to lift the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters past the Bacolod Tubo Slashers, 60-58, in the nightcap.
Trailing, 38-44, after three quarters, Batangas bunched 12 points to seize control and then bested the Tubo Slashers to rise to 14-8.
Levi Hernandez and Cedrick Ablaza paced Batangas with 14 points each.
Bacolod, which tumbled to 3-19, got 13 points each from Mark Ray Dubouzet and Jaycee Sam Adjei and 11 from Mark Ray Malazarte.
Sarangani banked on its proficiency from the free throw line to subdue Muntinlupa, 72-68, in the opener and climb to 9-13.
Kyt Jimenez, Jeff Viernes and Danny Marilao made two free throws each in the last 44 seconds as the Sarangani Grippers overcame the 11-point output of both Dom Matillano and Kurt Lojera and pulled down the Cagers to 10-11, the same as the Basilan Starhorse Portmasters.
Jimenez sparkled with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals; Larce Sunga with 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Marilao with 11 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks.
The MPBL goes to the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City on Tuesday, with games pitting Cebu against Pasig at 4 p.m., Pangasinan against Zamboanga at 6 p.m., and Binan against Nueva Ecija at 8 p.m.
