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UPIS coach rues forfeiture of lone win

The UPIS Junior Maroons

Four days after its lone victory in the UAAP Season 76 juniors’ cage action was forfeited by the UAAP Board due to the ineligibility of Jozhua General, University of the Philippines-Integrated School coach Allan Gregorio remained up in arms and stressed the victory should be restored.

“Napakasakit talaga kasi pinaghirapan namin ng mga bata,” stated Gregorio in a phone interview Saturday, referring to the Junior Maroons’ energy-sapping 89-87 victory in quadruple overtime against the Adamson Baby Falcons last July 14 at the MOA Arena.

That victory, however, was overturned to the Baby Falcons after the Board ruled that General, now 17 and playing his senior year, was ineligible to play this season, stressing he has already exceeded the five-year window for high school players in the league.

According to the a highly-placed source, General finished Grade Six in Naga in 2008, easily making him ineligible to play this season in the league.

Gregorio, however, stressed General went to the Big City and eventually transferred to Lourdes School of Mandaluyong where he finished his Grade 7 studies in 2010.

“He graduated at LSM in 2010 and it was certified by DepEd (Department of Education). The (UAAP) Board should honor that,” he said. “That makes him eligible to play for us.”

Gregorio also blasted the league’s Eligibility Committee, saying: “They said his documents were OK prior to the start of the season and it was approved by the Board so it should be respected.”

“Pero parang may change of heart sila dahil naimpluwensyahan ng iba. That decision should not be retroactive. Why take away the win of UP?” he added.

Meanwhile, General’s father, Jose, wrote a letter of appeal addressed to the UAAP Board on Thursday.

In a letter, Jose stated: “Please help Jozhua achieve his dream to have a good opportunity in college and pursue his passion for basketball as a UAAP varsity. We as parents are praying and appealing that you allow Jozhua to play in his senior year. Please do not steal this once in a lifetime opportunity in which he prepared for, for the past three years.”

Gregorio echoed the same sentiment, saying: “Fourth year high school na ‘yung bata. Bakit natin tatanggalan ng oportunidad ‘yung bata to showcase his talent and prove himself?”

The elder General also claimed that Jozhua, who once played for San Beda juniors team, was also a victim of some sort of harassment from Leo Pujante, who was then serving as one of the assistant coaches of head coach Ato Badolato.

“He was maltreated and always singled out by his coach (Pujante).  He was often bullied and subjected to ridicule and embarrassment by his coach,” stated the elder General.

Although they had already pulled out Jozhua from SBC-Taytay, Jose General claimed Pujante continued to harass their son last year during a UAAP juniors match.

“One of the occasions my son remembers was last UAAP Season 75 when they played against Ateneo in MOA Arena, Pujante told Jozhua, ‘Hanggang 3rd year ka lang sa UAAP. Akala mo makakalaro ka next year?’ Jozhua’s UPIS teammates overheard these as it was done while they were sitting on the bench.  During their Fr. Martin Cup game against NU in San Beda College gym last summer, he was approached again by Pujante and told the same thing,” he stated.