Badolato turns down NU protest
UAAP commissioner Ato Badolato has junked the protest of National University, upholding Far Eastern University’s 77-75 victory last Sunday in UAAP men’s basketball action at the MOA Arena.
Badolato was not available for interview at press time and it was NU athletic director Junel Baculi who confirmed the report Wednesday afternoon.
“It (the protest) was turned down by the commissioner,” said Baculi in a phone interview.
The Bulldogs filed last Monday the protest seeking to nullify the game-winning lay-up of RR Garcia with barely a tenth of a second left but Badolato turned it down, clearly sticking with his initial decision to count the basket in favor of FEU.
Baculi, who also serves as the league’s secretary-treasurer, disclosed they’re now planning to appeal to the technical committee headed by Fr. Emerito de Sagun of University of Sto. Tomas.
“I am now writing an appeal addressed to the technical committee and hopefully by tomorrow makapag-convene na before the start of the games,” he added.
The decision of Badolato enabled the Tamaraws to stay abreast with the Growling Tigers at second spot with identical 8-3 marks while sending the Bulldogs to their fifth loss against six wins, just half-a-game adrift of fourth-running La Salle (6-4).
“Whatever the decision (of the technical committee) will be, it’s beyond our control. We will go to the (proper) process. If they give a favorable response, thank you. Kung hindi naman, we’ll respect it,” Baculi added. “But I don’t want to pre-empt the decision. Hintayin muna natin matapos yung decision nila then we can start again from there.”
