SPORTS

JRU drops hot-headed Amores

Ivan Suing

John Amores has been removed from the Jose Rizal University basketball team roster, suspended from classes and will have to undergo community service as part of his proposed reformation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association management committee said on Wednesday.

NCAA mancomm member Hercules Callanta of Lyceum of the Philippines said during a press conference that the volcanic-tempered guard, who is in his third year, needs to prove not to all the schools that his violent outburst against College of Saint Benilde last week won't happen again.

Earlier, the league put Amores, 23, on indefinite suspension for going on a rampage in the dying minutes of the Heavy Bombers' game with the Blazers.

Callanta said Amores' shelf life in NCAA basketball is going to be affected given that he still has two full playing years left.

JRU said that Amores will have to undergo counseling "to help cope with the strain of what has taken place in his young life."

Two recipients of his heavy hands—Taine Davis and Jimboy Pasturan—have filed charges against the Laguna-bred dribbler.

Davis, a seldom-used Fil-Australian recruit, got floored by a sucker punch by Amores.

Meanwhile, the three referees who officiated the controversial game have been put under preventive suspension while the investigation is still ongoing as per league rules.

Ricor Buaron, Roldan Dionson and Karlo Vergara have not been officiating games since the incident and will be inactive until the investigation has been completed.

"They are under preventive suspension at the moment. That is automatic whenever there is a brawl or unfortunate event that takes place, there is an automatic suspension," Callanta said.

"Unless they are cleared, they are not allowed to officiate."