Flagrant foul
In sports, there are a lot of unwritten rules.
Boxers no longer punch when their opponents are down, and baseball players do not steal bases when games are already decided. Defy these rules, and an ugly brawl will surely follow.
That’s what happened when Jacob Bayla scored on a breakaway dunk in the dying seconds of the University of the Philippines’ (UP) 82-74 victory over Ateneo de Manila University in Season 89 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament last Saturday.
For the streaking Fighting Maroons, the victory was just another check on their win-loss record as they secured their spot in the Final Four. But for the struggling Blue Eagles, it was a painful punch in the gut that put their chances of advancing in peril.
Understandably, Ateneo coach Louie Alas was fuming mad. Why deliver a dunk when you could have dribbled out the clock before calling it a day? What kind of message was Bayla trying to send: that they are far superior to the hard-fighting opponent they had just beaten?
At 63, Alas is the oldest coach in the UAAP. He was already coaching during the playing careers of National University mentor Jeff Napa, University of the East head coach Paolo Hubalde, and Far Eastern University (FEU) tactician Sean Chambers. Even UP mentor Goldwin Monteverde served as his assistant coach at Hapee in the Philippine Basketball League, while assistant coach Tom Chua played Team B when he was still calling the shots at Letran College.
In short, Alas is an old-school mentor with a very short leash for showmanship. Other veteran mentors take similar offense at this classless behavior. Tim Cone — the most successful head coach in Philippine Basketball Association history — has frequently voiced frustration after watching opponents score in garbage time instead of simply letting the clock run out.
But respect shouldn’t be defined solely by coaching experience. Even younger mentors know that when the clock is winding down and the outcome is clear, sportsmanship dictates holding the ball, approaching your opponents, and extending a hand. Be gracious in victory and humble in defeat.
During the first-round FEU-University of Santo Tomas encounter last month, Collins Akowe also threw down a breakaway dunk to punctuate an 81-69 win. But Akowe immediately reached out to Chambers to apologize, acknowledging that he had breached an unwritten rule of the game.
Chambers, a longtime Cone protégé, accepted the gesture but stressed that the play "wasn't necessary."
That’s exactly what Bayla should have done.
He should have apologized, not only in deference to the seniority and authority of Alas, but also out of respect for the game that has given him so much. He should have followed Akowe’s lead by extending his hand to express regret once he realized the opposing coach took offense. A simple apology and a dash of humility would have gone a long way toward defusing the situation.
Let us remember that the Blue Eagles are enduring a painful preseason. After losing two teammates in a tragic team-building incident, they are playing their hearts out to honor their memories.
For Ateneo, every game matters. These grieving players are fighting relentlessly to reach the Final Four, making every loss feel like a failure to honor their fallen friends.
That is why it was heartbreaking to watch the Blue Eagles get beaten and dunked on by the star player of a potential Final Four rival. If losing was painful enough; having an opponent rub salt in the wound with an unnecessary exclamation point was devastating. It wasn’t just a foul — it was a flagrant foul.
In his post-match interview, Bayla showed no trace of remorse.
His stance? "It’s basketball… you just play until the final buzzer."
No, young man, it isn’t just about basketball. It’s about respecting your opponent, honoring the game, and upholding the unwritten rules that keep competition noble.