Meralco suspends Gary David for ‘insubordination’

Meralco’s Gary David is suspended for one game due to conflict with the team. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Meralco’s woes continue to add up.

Losing their last two games, the Bolts have decided to suspend gunner Gary David for one game due to “insubordination” following his actions at the tailend of the team’s latest defeat against NLEX last Friday.

Through the team’s official website One Meralco Sports, the statement read:

“At a crucial point in the the game versus NLEX last Friday, with over four minutes to go in the last quarter, Meralco head coach Norman Black asked player Gary David to check in the game. Gary, then, indicated to coach Norman that he did not want to play. After further investigation, it was clear there were no physical impediments for Gary not to enter the game.”

The Bolts lost the game, 104-99, to the Road Warriors and fell down to a 5-2 slate.

Meralco management said that it found the former scoring champion’s behavior “unacceptable in different levels,” saying David was guilty of “insubordination; lack of dedication to the team; and breach of contract which states that he’s obligated to play in official PBA games at all times.”

Davis was handed out a one-game ban and a fine of an undisclosed amount.

But the Bolts management maintained that they “still support Gary as a member of the team” and that the sanctions were only imposed “to maintain discipline and alignment with Meralco’s team culture.”

It has been a struggle of a conference for David, who has only averaged 6.6 points on a 35-percent shooting from threes this conference. He also is averaging a measly 1.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists in just 15.9 minutes on the floor.

David will miss Meralco’s next game against Blackwater next Friday.