NCAA: Perpetual Help loses Indonesian player

The University of Perpetual Help System DALTA has lost its Indonesian 6-9 center Thoyib Isman. Paul Supan, chairman of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) management committee, said on Sunday in a statement that they discovered that Isman played in the Indonesian Basketball League and therefore ineligible to join the Philippine's oldest collegiate league. "The Basketball Association of Indonesia (BASI) confirmed to the NCAA Management Committee that Isman did play in the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL), a commercial league equivalent to that of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL)," Supan said. "Based on the NCAA rule, any athlete who had played in any commercial league prior to his first season is not eligible to play." "Thus, Mr. Isman Thoyib is ineligible to play in the NCAA," Supan added. Meanwhile, Perpetual Help mentor Bai Cristobal, in a telephone interview, said that they will appeal the NCAA Mancom decision. Aside from Isman, another Indonesian, Ryan Frebyan, is playing for the Altas. Frebyan is a 6-foot-6 center. The Altas has another foreigner, Korean Sang Myeon Lee, in its roster. Lee is a 5'11" guard. Cristobal did not field Isman during their opening match against San Sebastian College - Recoletos which resulted in Altas 59-56 defeat. - GMANews.TV