MANILA, Philippines – University of the Philippines (UP) head coach Bo Perasol will not be calling the shots for the opening 3 games of the second round of the UAAP men’s basketball after his on-court outburst last Sunday, September 29, at the Araneta Coliseum.

On top of the prescribed single-game suspension, UAAP officials decided to penalize Perasol for two more games for committing “continuous flagrant acts of aggression” towards a game official despite being restrained repeatedly by the UP Fighting Maroons team members.

“After thorough review and careful deliberation made by the technical committee, we deemed it fit that the penalty of three-game suspension handed to coach Bo Perasol for his actions in the game between Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines last Sunday,” said UAAP Basketball Commissioner Jensen Ilagan.

Article 9.2.1 of the UAAP General Tournament Guidelines, 2019 states:  “A student-athlete, coach, trainer, or team manager, team official or any accompanying delegation member who is disqualified, thrown out of or ejected from unsportsmanlike behavior from the game by the concerned game official shall not be allowed to play in the immediately succeeding game…” 

“Do acknowledge that similar actions of the same grain shall be dealt with similar penalties,” added Ilagan, referring to the extended suspension of Perasol.

“May this incident be an example for players and coaches alike to exhibit tremendous restraint and discipline, not just towards officials but everyone on the court. We’d also like to remind the teams that there are proper avenues to raise these contradictions and complaints to protect the sanctity of the game we all love.”

At the 6:23 mark of the third quarter tussle between Ateneo and UP, Perasol ran toward referee Jaime Rivano with a closed fist, vehemently contesting a foul on Ateneo’s Angelo Kouame for blocking the layup attempt of Jerson Prado of UP.

But it was actually UP big man Bright Akhuetie’s technical foul in the first two minutes of the second half that triggered Perasol’s outrage. The UP coach resented that referee Rivano ran after the UAAP Season 81 MVP all the way to the other end of the court to signal the foul. 

“If you see something that you’re going to shout at, you say a technical foul, but for me, you cannot provoke a player and follow him up to the end of the baseline,” Perasol said after UP’s blowout loss to the defending champions. 

“Bright was already at the other end of the baseline, and you give him a technical foul after his third foul. If you are thinking well enough, you cannot do that as an official because you’re going to ruin the beauty of the competition.” 

Perasol will sit out UP’s games against Far Eastern University (October 6), University of the East (October 12), and University of Santo Tomas (October 16).

Perasol also apologized in the post-game interview with the reporters, but remained firm with his stance on the game’s officiating and said he would file an appeal. 

The Maroons’ mentor later wrote a letter calling for unity among the UP community and setting a “championship-or-bust” self-ultimatum in Season 82. (READ: Perasol calls for UP unity, sets self-ultimatum for Season 82)

Perasol previously faced game suspensions in the UAAP in 2013 – when the former Blue Eagles coach confronted a La Salle fan – and last season during UP’s meltdown against Ateneo in the first round. 

Akhuetie, likewise, agreed with his coach, calling the referee “shitty” and “fucking stupid” for the incident. – Rappler.com