Cagayan head coach Alvin Pua. Photo from PBA.inquirer.net
Following the decision of PBA Commissioner Chito Salud to impose a lifetime ban on Cagayan Valley coach Alvin Pua after hitting a referee in the face and the back last May 13, Cagayan Valley announced that on-going Foundation Cup will mark its last conference in the PBA D-League.
Citing incompetence and inefficiency with PBA D-League’s officiating, the team said that it is ending its campaign with the league after 3 years.
“…with the past incidents and recent developments, we are formally announcing that this will be our last conference in the PBA D-League. We have always been vocal of our complaints particularly about the poor officiating in the league. In fact we are known to be the most ‘reklamador’ team in the D-League,” the team said.
The Rising Suns said that they have accepted the fate of their head coach but said that the incident showed Pua’s passion for basketball and being protective of his players.
READ: Cagayan Valley coach hits referee in the face, back—report
“There is no excuse for the incident last Thursday. We are sorry it happened. Coach Alvin’s emotions got the best of him. It only shows how protective he is of his players and how passionate he is for basketball,” the statement read.
However, the team hopes that Pua’s case will allow the PBA to realize its lapses.
“We just hope that this incident will finally serve as a wake up call to the D-League and that it will make them see that indeed there is incompetence and inefficiency with its officiating. We are not the only team to complain about this. Even teams in the PBA share the same sentiments,” it added.
Cagayan Valley said that it will play the remaining games in the Foundation Cup for Pua.
“To lose the man who has given this team the identity of who and where they are right now is simply heartbreaking. Nevertheless, for the sake of our players and commitment, we will finish our remaining games for this conference. Though Coach Alvin will not be able to man during games, he will still be the backbone of this team. The management, staff and players are one in saying that he is still our head coach,” the team said.
A lifetime ban was meted by the PBA on Pua after he punched referee Benjie, who was later taken to the hospital, during Cagayan Valley’s match with Livermarin at the Ynares Sports Center on Wednesday. He was also fined P500,000.
READ: PBA D-League: Cagayan Valley coach banned for life, fined P500K
Pua has been notorious for punching referees. Last December, he was banned for three games and fined P50,000 for having an altercation with two referees. In 2012, the Cagayan Valley coach served a three-game suspension after punching a referee in a practice match. CC