MANILA, Aug. 26 -- With two weeks to go before the start of the UAAP season, FEU and La Salle figured in a heated moment in Davao City Friday night.
The Tamaraws and the Green Archers were involved in bench-clearing incidents seconds apart during their pre-season encounter in a pocket tournament as part of the Kadayawan Festival.
Ricci Rivero was fresh from making a basket that cut FEU's lead to 14, 73-59, when Kenneth Tuffin bumped into Kib Montalbo while trying to get an offensive position.
Montalbo did not like the bump and shoved Tuffin as cooler heads tried to pacify matters.
However, Ron Dennison, who was already sent off following a disqualifying foul on Rivero, made matters worse when he threw a punch on Montalbo.
Montalbo, Aljun Melecio, Arvin Tolentino, and RJ Ramirez were given pink slips for their part in the first brawl.
However, just as the game was about to resume, a second brawl ensued as Rivero and Barkly Ebona entangled during the inbound play, and the fracas was even wilder than the first that the officials called it a night with both teams getting forfeitures.
It was then decided that the Tams and the Archers would not participate further in the tournament, leaving the UST Growling Tigers, the other UAAP team invited to the tournament, and a selection of top college players from Davao slugging it out in what would now be the title game later Saturday at the Almendras Gym.
Interestingly, FEU and La Salle will open their season against each other on Sept. 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, and tighter security is to be expected at the said venue following the Davao incident. (PNA)
