THE National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is expected to discipline the erring players during the San Beda-Letran match on Friday that nearly resulted to a free-for-all.
League Commissioner Andy Jao said the technical committee will review and analyze the near-brawl between the Red Lions and the Knights with the game already decided for the former.
“[We will review] until such time makita ko ang tape. Nasira kasi recorder ng ABS-CBN. We’ll have to wait,” Jao said.
The league chief said the copy they have in possession was broken and they will request the NCAA’s official television partner to provide them a better copy.
With the physical match already settled for the Red Lions, things got ugly and awry in the final 7.1 seconds of the game, when Letran’s Jerrick Balanza intentionally elbowed San Beda’s Jomari Presbitero on his face during a rebound play.
That incident led to an all-out skirmish, with players and members of the coaching staff of both teams trooped to the court.
Cooler heads prevailed, as referees and secuiry personnel managed to pacify both teams.
After a review, game officials gave Balanza an unsportsmanlike foul, while San Beda Head Coach Jamike Jarin absorbed a technical foul for entering the court.
Jarin apologized after the game for the incident and promised not to do it again as the games get tighter entering the final phase of the second round of eliminations.
“We apologize if we did something ungentlemanly. We will control our emotions and we will be gentleman in our next meeting,” he said.
San Beda won that match, 83-71, to regain the solo lead with an 11-2 win-loss mark.