UAAP: La Salle’s Ben Mbala ineligible for Season 78

MANILA, Philippines – Prized De La Salle recruit Ben Mbala has been ruled ineligible to play in the upcoming UAAP season by the league board, Rappler learned on Monday, August 17.

Mbala was ruled ineligible for committing one of the violations of the league rules for players serving residency, according to a La Salle board member who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Mbala, who was on his second year of residency, played in an exhibition game in General Santos City in December 2014, but says that he wasn’t paid.

His action still warranted deliberation from the board, and they decided the matter through voting on Monday at the University of the Philippines, host for the upcoming UAAP season.

Rappler learned from the source that University of East, Adamson University, University of Sto. Tomas, and National University voted against Mbala playing, while Ateneo de Manila University and University of the Philippines voted for Mbala playing. 

Far Eastern University abstained from voting. La Salle needed 4 out of the 7 other schools to vote for Mbala playing in order for him to have been eligible. 

The loss of Mbala is heightened by the departures of both Arnold Van Opstal and Norbert Torres, who played his last year of eligibility in 2014.

The onus now falls on last year’s back-up big man Abu Tratter to make up for the team’s key losses. – Rappler.com