Board snubs TRO; La Salle trips UST to tab last Final 4 berth
Not even a temporary restraining order could stop the UAAP from staging the playoff games for Final Four seedings of its junior basketball competition.
The league board stood pat on its decision to rule Adamson star Encho Serrano ineligible to play in Season 79, pointing out that the school failed to submit the necessary documents backing up his eligibility.
The Manila Regional Trial Court granted a 72-hour TRO on the UAAP Board decision after it found merit on the complaint for injunction against the league and its eligibility committee.
But the court ruling did not have an effect on the tournament as the playoff for No. 4 and the No. 2 seed pushed through Thursday.
De La Salle Zobel nabbed the last Final Four berth after a 72-65 win over University of Santo Tomas while Far Eastern U Diliman clinched the second seed with a narrow 64-62 triumph over Ateneo at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The UAAP Board decided to forfeit Adamson’s 11 wins, knocking the Baby Falcons out of top spot and consequently, out of Final Four contention.
But the school appealed the decision last week, prompting the UAAP Board to explain its decision.
“Consequently, the forfeiture of the games is not to be considered unjust and too much,” said UAAP president Fr. Ermito De Sagon of host University of Santo Tomas in a letter to the league board.
“Adamson has no one to blame but itself for not following proper procedures and not abiding by the UAAP policies.”
In a letter to the UAAP board members, De Sagon said Adamson failed to submit a correct and signed Varsity Athletes’ Information System (VAIS) to the league.
