‘Calisay rule?’ UP’s Reyland Torres evades finals Game 3 suspension after ejection

MANILA, Philippines – In an interesting development, UP guard Reyland Torres will play in the winner-take-all UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball finals Game 3 after the league decreed on Thursday, December 12, that the nature of his Game 2 ejection did not merit the usual one-game ban.

In a statement, the UAAP pointed to Torres’ second, disqualifying unsportsmanlike foul (UF) — a clear path call — as the reason for clearing the UP role player.

Per the league, the second call is a UF category 4 (illegal contact caused by the player from behind or laterally on an opponent who is progressing toward the basket, with no other defenders between the player and the basket) and holds less weight than a UF2 (excessive, hard contact caused by a player in an effort to play the ball or an opponent) or other, graver offenses.

Against La Salle in Game 2, Torres got one UF2 on EJ Gollena at the 5:33 mark of the third quarter before a UF4 with 2:58 left in the fourth, causing his ejection.

The UAAP cited Adamson’s Jhon Arthur Calisay as a prime example for this kind of decision, as he was spared from a suspension despite also getting ejected at the end of the elimination round. However, he still did not play against La Salle in the Final Four due to injury.

In contrast, UE’s Precious Momowei got suspended at the tail end of the eliminations also due to two prior unsportsmanlike, excessive contact-related fouls against UST.

The Red Warriors eventually bowed out of Final Four contention as Adamson and UP marched on. – Rappler.com