UE to appeal two-game suspensions today

By Paolo Mariano Posted Aug 29th 2013

The University of the East (UE) will submit a formal appeal to the UAAP technical committee today regarding the two-game suspensions slapped on center Charles Mammie and guard Lord Casajeros.

League commissioner Chito Loyzaga brought down the axe on the two Red Warriors due to their unsportsmanlike infractions in their double overtime loss to Far Eastern University (FEU) last Sunday.

“I just decided what is right for the game and for the league. I believe every UAAP player must play in the spirit of the game,” said Loyzaga.

UE Board representative Rod Roque, however, maintained that the said actions were unintentional and are not worthy of a two-game ban.

“We talked to the commissioner to clarify things. He explained it very well. But as an obligation to the school, we will file a formal appeal,” said Roque.

The 6-foot-8 Mammie was assessed his third unsportsmanlike foul of the season for sticking his foot on the landing area of Terrence Romeo, who was taking a three-point shot early in the fourth quarter. Based on UAAP rules, a third assessment automatically merits a two-game suspension. The hulking import from Sierra Leone was already meted a one-game ban for attacking Adamson University’s Adamson Cabrera at the end of their game last July 10.

The fiery Casajeros, meanwhile, was already warned for an unsportsmanlike foul in the same game against Adamson. Yet he still committed a pair of them versus FEU, one of which was "a punch or an elbow" to Romeo’s blind side in the second quarter although it wasn’t whistled for a disqualifying foul.

“That kind of intention deserves a higher penalty,” said Loyzaga, citing National University’s (NU) Jeoff Javillonar’s controversial foul on UST’s Jeric Teng as precedent. “In my personal opinion, that should have been a disqualifying foul right then and there.”

The returning UE guard couldn’t hide his frustration over the decision, posting on his Twitter account: “Ngayon ko lang naisip, sana pala tinotoo ko na talaga! Para okay lang ang suspension ko (Come to think of it, I wish I truly committed an unsportsmanlike foul. With that, I'd be okay with suspension).”

With most of the teams in a tangled race for the Final Four, the two-game suspensions couldn’t come at a worse time for the Red Warriors, who will face NU and De La Salle University this Saturday and on Wednesday, respectively.

Mammie is the league’s leading rebounder with 18.6 RPG, while also chipping in 14.3 PPG. Casajeros, on the other hand, contributes 6.4 PPG and 3.8 RPG, while also serving as the squad’s top perimeter defender.

“We’re hoping that if the suspensions won’t be lifted, at least they'll be downgraded,” said Roque.

The team is also plannning to lift the matter to the UAAP Board in case the technical committee denies the appeal.

UE is currently in solo fifth in the standings with a 5-4 record.