PBA fines Air21 P50k for playing import-less

MANILA, Philippines – The absence of import Steve Thomas not only cost Air21 Game One of its semifinal series with Magnolia. The Express also had to give away some cash. The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) fined the franchise P50,000 on Tuesday for playing without an import at the start of its Smart-PBA Fiesta Cup semifinals in the weekend. Under league rules, a team that fails to field in an import during a game will be meted a corresponding fine. Air21 coach Bo Perasol earlier expressed confidence that no fines would come Air21’s way, the team having informed the Commissioner’s Office earlier that Thomas won’t be available for the series opener after the six-foot-10 import decided to extend his US trip to attend the Cleveland Cavaliers training camp. But league sources said it was necessary to fine Air21 because the team has outright control over its import. Thomas was originally scheduled to return to the country last Saturday after attending the camp for players wishing to play as reinforcements in the Korean League, but decided in the last minute to stay in the US for two more days to make it to the Cavaliers’ training camp. The same sources added the matter involving Sta. Lucia and import Lee Benson is an altogether different matter. The Realtors escaped being fined by the league after management presented before the PBA all legal documents enclosed in the contract of Benson as proof that the 35-year-old import wasn’t 100 percent ready to play for them without the extra money he’s demanding from Sta. Lucia officials. The decision was handed down by Barrios on the same day Red Bull guard Warren Ybañez was also penalized for P20,000 for hitting Ginebra’s Paul Artadi during the fourth period of the Bulls-Kings semifinals opener also last Sunday. No foul was called, but upon reviewing the tape with technical officials, Barrios classified the act under Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 for an outright one game suspension. – GMANews.TV