NCAA Season 101 basketball commissioner Rico Quicho on Friday has issued a statement amid the ongoing best-of-three NCAA Finals between San Beda University and Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
Game 2 of the series takes place on Saturday with San Beda's Janti Miller suspended after incurring two technical fouls, leading to an ejection, in Game 1.
According to league rules, this merits an automatic suspension for the next game.
Here is the commissioner's full statement:
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) is not a commercial league. It is a developmental institution where players are first and foremost student-athletes. The Policy Board has fully adopted the FIBA Rules on officiating together with the NCAA Ground Rules, all of which are directed toward instilling discipline and fostering the growth of our athletes.
As Commissioner, I apply the NCAA House Rules uniformly – to all, or to none at all. These standards are not subject to selective interpretation or convenience. They exist to safeguard the integrity of the competition and the educational mission of the league.
I fully understand the fans’ expectation that championships be decided on the court, with teams competing at full strength. That sentiment is valid and respected. Yet discipline and fairness cannot be compromised for convenience or preference. The NCAA’s responsibility is to shape athletes who honor the rules, because adherence to those rules and regulations is an inseparable part of the game we all love.
Player suspensions—even in high?stakes contests such as the NCAA Finals—are part of the natural dynamics of basketball. They must be acknowledged and accepted by both fans and pundits as essential to preserving the integrity of competition.
The NCAA remains committed to ensuring that every ruling reflects fairness, consistency, and the developmental purpose of collegiate basketball – because true victory is earned on the court and within the bounds of the rules.
RICO PAOLO R. QUICHO
Commissioner
National Collegiate Athletic Association
