NCAA upholds Fran Yu collegiate career-ending suspension for finals Game 3

MANILA, Philippines – The NCAA upheld its decision to suspend Letran star guard Fran Yu for the do-or-die Season 98 men’s basketball finals Game 3 against the CSB Blazers after the Knights appealed on Tuesday, December 13.

With that final ruling, Yu’s productive collegiate career has ended in unceremonious fashion after winning two championships and the Season 95 Finals MVP.

The 24-year-old will now be a mere spectator from home as he is also banned from attending Game 3 in person at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City on Sunday, December 18, 3 pm.

Yu had his brush with the long-standing league rule after what looked like an elbow hit on key Blazer Mark Sangco’s face with 5:29 still left in the second quarter of a heated Game 2 last Sunday, December 11, at the Araneta Coliseum.

After a review of the incident, referees ejected Yu – immediately raising worries over at the Knights’ side that an automatic suspension is coming. Letranites also got flak for pelting a profanity-laced chant at the officials that went viral immediately after the ejection.

Without Yu leading Letran, the Will Gozum and Migs Oczon-led CSB eventually stormed back to force the series decider with a 76-71 Game 2 win.

Although the Knights reserved the right to appeal, they lost on the grounds that “there was no new evidence presented to lift the suspension,” and that they “did not contest the judgment call of the game officials” at the time of the on-court verdict.

Yu finishes his collegiate stint with Season 98 averages of 10.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.0 steals.

Fellow veteran guards Kurt Reyson, Tommy Olivario, and Brent Paraiso are now expected to fill in the sizable void left by the former UE stalwart. – Rappler.com