Sorela gets lifetime ban

The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League slapped Michole Solera of the Gensan Warriors with a lifetime ban and a P200,000 fine for a disqualifying foul that sent Jonas Tibayan of the Mindoro Tamaraws to the hospital during their Manny Pacquiao presents 1xBet-MPBL 2025 Season game at the Batangas City Coliseum Monday night.

Solera hit Tibayan on the face with his right hand while they were moving for position, sending the 6-foot-3 forward sprawled on the floor with injuries, including a concussion, broken jaw, a busted lip, and a fractured shoulder incurred when he fell.

Upon reviewing the footage of the incident, MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes decided on the stiff sanctions.

“We condemn the incident, and the MPBL won’t tolerate such actions. It compromises the player’s safety and taints the league’s image,” said Duremdes, one of the Philippine Basketball Association’s Greatest Players.

“I’ve seen the worst (in basketball) and this is one of them. The league has the full authority to impose sanctions on this deplorable behavior.”

Sorela also faces a probable lifetime ban and revocation of license from the Games and Amusements Board supervising the MPBL.

The P200,000 fine surpassed the P100,000 penalty Germy Mahinay, then playing for the Negros Muscovados,” got for undercutting a driving Joey Barcuma of Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines, in 2024. Mahinay was also slapped with a lifetime ban by the GAB for the same incident.

Tibayan was stretchered out, brought to a local hospital, and was later transferred to the New Era Hospital in Manila for further examination and evaluation by team owner Pola Mayor Jennifer Cruz.

The Mindoro Tamaraws won, 76-72, to raise their record to 13-10, just behind the 13-9 slate of their victims in the round-robin elimination phase of the 30-team tournament.