Allein Maliksi. PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines–Converge on Saturday deemed the actions of Meralco’s Allein Maliksi as an “assault” throughout an altercation with Barkley Ebona within the ultimate seconds of the hard-fought additional time encounter between the 2 groups within the PBA Governors’ Cup the opposite day.
The FiberXers additionally bared in an announcement launched by their company communications division that Ebona suffered a pressure after Maliksi grabbed his neck in response to being fouled with six seconds left within the additional interval of the Bolts’ 132-129 win at Good Araneta Coliseum.
“The Converge FiberXers denounce the assault on one in every of our gamers through the sport in opposition to the Meralco Bolts yesterday,” Converge stated shortly after the PBA Commissioner’s Workplace slapped Maliksi with a one-game suspension and a P75,000 fine.
“Precise movies of the incident clearly confirmed that (Maliksi) tried to strangle (Ebona) following an obligation foul on the final seconds of the additional time interval of the sport. Medico-legal findings after the incident revealed that Ebona sustained [a] ‘delicate tissue damage secondary to mauling.’
“Converge joined the PBA with the intention of constructing a monitor document of self-discipline, competitiveness, and sportsmanship that Filipino basketball followers love. And we now have carried these values in each sport that we performed together with yesterday’s sport,” the group added.
Converge additionally took offense to the postgame feedback made by Maliksi, who additionally accused coach Aldin Ayo of instructing the group to harm Meralco import KJ McDaniels.
Maliksi claims that Ayo made these remarks as a response to what he felt was Meralco’s Toto Jose doing the identical to Converge import Jamaal Franklin.
“We’re deeply involved that such an incident occurred yesterday the place one in every of our gamers was put at risk by one other participant. We additionally take exception to the statements that the Converge group had an intention to hurt different gamers within the courtroom,” the FiberXers stated.
“Our earlier video games, whether or not win or lose, will present that our gamers have at all times performed honest and displayed honorable sportsmanship. We belief that the PBA administration and board might be honest and simply in its investigation and dealing with of this matter. Such ruffian habits has no place in an expert basketball league.”
The end result, regardless of a 57-point efficiency from Franklin, dealt Converge a second straight setback, dropping its document to 6-4 going into Sunday’s sport in opposition to Barangay Ginebra.
Converge wants a win to remain alive within the race for the twice-to-beat benefit within the quarters.
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