Alas says sorry for outburst

Ateneo de Manila University head coach Louie Alas apologized for his outburst that led to a heated confrontation at the end of the Blue Eagles’ 74-82 loss to University of the Philippines in their University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 89 men’s basketball match on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With the outcome already decided with 0.5 seconds left and Ateneo conceding the Battle of Katipunan, Fighting Maroons’ Jacob Bayla threw down an emphatic slam dunk that didn’t sit well with Alas.

The seasoned mentor felt Bayla’s last shot was unnecessary and breached the game’s unwritten rule.

Alas had a few words for Bayla after the dunk, which spilled into an altercation in midcourt after the final buzzer.

Security personnel and cooler heads, including Alas’ son Kevin, pacified the situation.

“I’m sorry for that, but I just want him to know that they’ve already won,” Alas said.

“We won’t do that (making a basket with the game already in the bag). I’ll scold my player if he does that. Again, it’s an unspoken rule but anyway, it happened, and again, I’m sorry,” the first year Ateneo mentor added.

Bayla was seen seemingly taunting the Blue Eagles coach during the brief confrontation.

Being a long-time coach in the collegiate ranks and a former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) tactician, Alas wanted Bayla to understand and honor basketball’s unwritten rule as a sign of respect to a downed opponent.

“I’m already old to blow my top like that. (But) it is what it is,” Alas said.

Alas appreciated UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde and other members of the Fighting Maroons coaching staff reaching out to him to apologize for Bayla’s action.

However, he felt UP deputy Christian Luanzon, instead of restraining his player, further provoked the verbal spat.

“The (UP) coaches, we’re saying sorry. I don’t know why Christian Luanzon was mad. That was an uncalled play. If the opposing team did that to you… Instead of restraining your player, you’re there to escalate things. That’s bad,” Alas said.

“That’s why I really appreciate Coach Binky (Favis), Coach Goldwin (Monteverde), and the others. They said, ‘Coach, sorry for that’ — I accepted that immediately. At least they know that it shouldn’t have happened.”

Luanzon aired his side of the story, saying he had no intention of disrespecting the mentor.

“I have the utmost respect for Coach Louie. In fact, I immediately went to Kevin (Alas) — we’re churchmates, Tita Lisa (wife of Louie), and Selina (wife of Kevin) — and explained that I was just trying to pacify him,” he said.

“It was an unfortunate incident for both teams.”

Bayla justified he meant no disrespect in his decision to take one last dunk as the Fighting Maroons simply wanted to compete until the final buzzer.

“I mean, they were pressing us, and my mind was just to play to the final buzzer. I don’t really know what they said to me, but my dad’s friends with Coach Louie Alas and we go way back. This is just basketball. That’s the game. Just play to the final buzzer,” said Bayla, who had a complete stat line of five points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block, although also committing four turnovers.

UP leads the pack with a 9-2 win-loss record and has already secured its eighth straight Final Four appearance, sixth under Monteverde’s watch.