UNIVERSITY of the Visayas Lancers basketball team manager Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas again showed that he does not allow wrongdoings from any of his players as he suspended Baby Lancers forward Justin Jake Rosete for the rest of the elimination round for choking Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles player Benedict Andre Chua during last Sunday’s Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) high school basketball game.

Cesafi on the other hand is now looking into the incident for an appropriate action.

“Jake Rosete will be suspended for three games or (for) the rest of the elimination period. I (first) thought of imposing a season-long suspension on Jake, but I decided to give him a chance to make things right this Cesafi season. I believe that he must redeem himself and prove his worth as a player and as a person. On that note, I also believe that he must do that during the same season (where) he messed up and made a bad name for himself and for the school. He should take this as a challenge. This Cesafi season or what's left of it, he must show Cebu, Cesafi and the people he hurt, that people can change for the better...Let him realize and ponder that basketball is all about good character and sportsmanship. I expect him to follow through and I assure everyone, I will guide him through this process,” the young lawmaker posted on his social media wall.

Gullas also apologized to the fans and basketball community of Cebu for the incident as it created controversy and bad public opinion on the Baby Lancers.

“The core value of UV basketball is to play hard. UV players, since my grandfather’s time, play hard. But UV basketball should only play tough and not rough. As the team manager, I do not condone players who use violence as a means to play basketball. I do not allow any aggressive assault against a player or a team,” Gullas added.

Additionally, Gullas said he had already talked with the management of SHS-AdC and Don Bosco Technological Center (DBTC) to talk about his regrets on the incidents that marred their games.

“Congressman Samsam’s proactive response to the incident reminds and encourages all of us to always focus on the essential goal of forming athletes with character. We thank the good congressman for the edifying intervention,” said Fr. Manny Uy, SJ of SHS-AdC.

UV vows to stand up from this moral setback. Any incident of this kind will never happen again and we promise to bring the glory days of our championship years,” Gullas concluded.

As a form of transforming the young players, Green Lancers coaching staff took the lead in showing the juniors squad the reality when their basketball career is over.

UV head coach Gary Corters and his assistant Van Halen Parmis took the Baby Lancers to the Gasa sa Gugma Home for the Dying and the Destitutes in Cabantan, Mabolo, Cebu City and the House of Hope Drug Rehabilitation Center in Lapu-Lapu City.

“We’re not yet done. We will have more charitable works for them (Baby Lancers) in the coming days. Amo sila gidala as Gasa sa Gugma para ang kamingaw nila sa ilang pamilya, lola ug lolo didto lang sa nila i-buhos, and di diay lalim kung way pamilya nga mo atiman. Sa House of Hope, kay mostly sa mga depressed nga tawo mo dangop man sa drugs to forget, mao nga amo lang sila gidala for them to be aware sa kadaut nga dangatan nila,” Cortes said.