PBA: Espinas fined but cleared to play in do-or-die game versus Ginebra

Alaska Ace Gabby Espinas has been fined P20,000, and had his flagrant foul penalty 1 against Meralco Bolt Cliff Hodge upgraded to penalty 2, but he won’t be suspended for Saturday’s do-or-die match against Barangay Ginebra, the PBA announced Thursday.

“The Flagrant Foul 1 called on Gabby Espinas is hereby upgraded to a  flagrant foul 2 for its viciousness and the perceptible intent to play the man and not the ball,” PBA commissioner Chito Salud said on the official PBA website.

[Related: Alaska survives Gary David-fueled Meralco comeback try, gets last QFs berth]

During the second quarter of the Aces' rubber match versus Meralco, Espinas elbowed Hodge in the face while the two jostled for a rebound, and made contact with the latter's face again with his forearm as they both fell to the floor in a tangled heap.

Despite the incident, Alaska went on to beat Meralco 94-91 in the playoff for the final postseason berth.

[Related: Alaska survives anew, forces do-or-die with top-seeded Ginebra]

Alaska beat Ginebra 104-97, burning the latter’s twice-to-beat advantage. The winner of Saturday’s game at the Cuneta Astrodome will move on to the semifinals in the 2013-14 PBA Philippine Cup.

Espinas was good for 12 points and 11 rebounds in that game versus Ginebra. - AMD, GMA News