NorthPort guard John Amores (13). (Image courtesy of PBA)
MANILA – The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) handed a one-conference ban on NorthPort guard John Amores as he deals with an ongoing attempted homicide lawsuit.
This means he will not see action at all in the upcoming PBA Commissioner's Cup, which will begin on Nov. 27.
Amores allegedly fired shots at a man he had an altercation with during a pick-up basketball game in Lumban, Laguna on Sept. 25.
His brother drove the motorcycle they used to chase the victim.
The brothers subsequently surrendered and are out on bail.
"In coordination with the management of NorthPort, the commissioner (Willie Marcial) has decided that John Amores will be suspended for all his games in the next conference of the PBA's 49th season without pay for conduct detrimental to the league," the PBA said in a statement on Friday night.
With the Hong Kong Eastern Long Lions joining the mid-season conference as guest team, the Batang Pier will play a minimum of 12 games.
The league said Amores "must without delay submit to counseling to address his anger and violent tendencies" before he can be cleared to return to action for the Philippine Cup scheduled to begin right after the February window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
While he is suspended for the duration of the mid-season conference, the PBA will still allow the 6-foot-2 offguard to join the Batang Pier's practices on the condition that heftier punishments await him if he does something bad during training.
"Isolating him from his normal environment will not be helpful and healthy for his rehabilitation. He must learn to deal with his issues under as normal circumstances as possible. It is under normal settings, including the challenges and stress they create, where he can fully exercise tolerance and restraint," the league explained. (PNA)
