Tounkara slapped with one-game ban

University of Santo Tomas center Mo Tounkara will serve a one-game suspension following his ejection in a loss to defending champion De La Salle University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament last Wednesday.

The league denied the appeal of the school to spare the erring Malian center from missing the match against Ateneo de Manila University scheduled today at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

Tounkara’s suspension came as a result of two technical fouls, classified as taunting under the FIBA rules, he accumulated during UST’s 87-94 overtime loss to the Green Archers.

The 6-foot-8 starter incurred his first technical foul with 5:41 left in the opening period when he flexed on La Salle’s Nigerian student-athlete Henry Agunanne following a contested layup.

He was then caught taunting Mike Phillips following a defensive stop that forced the Green Archer to travel. Tounkara clapped his hands close to Phillips’ face, drawing the referee’s whistle for his fifth foul of the game.

Under league rules, receiving two technical fouls for unsportsmanlike conduct results in an automatic ejection, followed by a one-game suspension and disqualification from any individual award.

While UST’s appeal on Tounkara’s suspension was denied, the school can still make another appeal for the 21-year-old center’s awards eligibility.

The school, however, would have to file the appeal to the UAAP Board of Managing Directors instead of the Commissioner’s Office.

Tounkara is averaging 15.11 points and 8.56 rebounds per game for the Tigers, who carry a 4-5 win-loss slate.