If other teams will have it their way, they want Ateneo de Manila University to see action in Season 89 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.

A reliable source revealed to DAILY TRIBUNE that there is a growing consensus among UAAP schools that the Blue Eagles should not be suspended despite getting involved in the deaths of its student-athletes Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili in Dipaculao, Aurora last month.

The UAAP extended the deadline and gave Ateneo until next Friday to submit its findings regarding the tragic team-building activity that claimed the lives of Baterbonia and Adili. The eight-school league is also expected to decide Ateneo’s fate for next season based on its findings and recommendation.

“If you’re going to ask us, we want them to play next season,” an official from a rival school said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the controversy that led to the resignations of Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin and team manager Epok Quimpo.

“I think they can impose sanctions on the institution for its negligence. They can even ban some coaches who were part of the activity. But they should never suspend the Blue Eagles because the players are victims of this tragedy as well. Suspending these players is like denying them a chance to honor their late teammates.”

The last time the league suspended its member was in the 2006-2007 season when it found out that De La Salle University unwittingly fielded two ineligible players during the course of its championship run in 2004.

The league was greatly criticized for its heavy-handed decision that denied La Salle players in all sports — even those in the juniors’ division — a chance to play despite having no direct knowledge or participation in the eligibility scandal.

“We already learned our lesson when we suspended La Salle. We don’t want it to happen again,” the source said, adding that competing against only six teams will also be unfair to other member schools.

The league has yet to finalize the schedule of its first event of the season — the junior high school boys’ basketball event that is set to start on 21 August — as they are still awaiting the fate of the Blue Eagles. Ivan Suing

Ateneo, however, is now doing a massive house-cleaning and is ready to compete in the men’s basketball event of the coming season that will be hosted by Far Eastern University. In fact, it already appointed multi-titled tactician Louie Alas to call the shots in an interim capacity as the Blue Eagles are still recovering from one of the darkest moments in league history.

“But let’s see what will happen in the coming days. It still depends on the findings and recommendations of Ateneo,” the source said. Ivan Suing