As a result of an on-court brawl that occurred during the championship game of the 1st Mayor Jaraula Cup last February 27 at Xavier University gym, the BAP-SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) Coaches' Commission slapped the assistant coach of the host squad, Xavier University Senior Crusaders with disciplinary action.
"It was horrifying to see a supposedly responsible member of the coaching staff of XU hit with a punch a player of the opposing Capitol University, instead of pacifying and breaking up the fracas that was ongoing at that time. His action can only be deemed as unacceptable and condemnable, thus this reprimand," said Bernardo Gabriel L. Atienza, chairman of BAP-SBP Coaches' Commission, in his letter addressed to Edgardo E. Dacoco, the group's regional coordinator for Northern Mindanao.
Incidentally, Atienza happened to witness the near free-for-all fracas as one of the invited special guests in the company of Mayor Constantino "Tinnex" Jaraula.
Capitol University's senior basketball team of coach Jonas Molawan won that bout, 94-82, though it left its starting pointguard, Elvis Pahilan badly beaten by at least two XU cagers.
Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro withheld the name of the Xavier University's coaching staff member pending the appeal of his case before the said basketball body.
Nonetheless, Atienza directed his local counterpart in the city to withhold indefinitely the issuance of the National Coaches' Accreditation and Licensing Program (NCalp) License due for the light-handed coach, thereby relegating him as a non-entry in the National Database of All Coaches in the Philippines, and also stricken off the General Membership of the Coaches' Commission.
In the same breath, Atienza said "we are hoping that such incident/s shall not occur again, especially so in the presence of LGU Executives, Basketball Officials who only wish and work for national development, and perhaps more importantly, members of the studentry who only look up to these athletes and coaches as role models."
Also furnished with Atienza's warning letter are BAP-SBP's Northern Mindanao director Rey B. Baula, executive director Patrick C. Gregorio, Cagayan de Oro City Development Officer, Rogelio "Jigs" Jaraula, Area 5 Head Pedro Alfaro and Athletic Moderator Gerardo "Boboy" Sabal of Xavier University.
