FEU's Cawaling escapes possible suspension

JR Cawaling escaped a possible suspension after UAAP commissioner Ato Badolato ruled that the Far Eastern University (FEU) forward's unsportsmanlike and technical fouls do not merit a one-game suspension per league guidelines.

Cawaling was assessed successive fouls in the first half of the Tamaraws' 69-59 overtime win over the La Salle Green Archers on Thursday.

“He was called for an unsportsmanlike foul when he tried to stop an opposing player during a fastbreak play, but there was really no intention to hurt the player," said Badolato, the San Beda Red Cubs’ multi-titled former coach. “And he was called for a technical foul for trash talking."

Only disqualifying fouls are the basis for meting out a sanction, thus allowing Cawaling to play in the first game of the best-of-three title series with either Ateneo or Adamson starting on September 25 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Cawaling was called for the fouls at the 4:27 mark of the second quarter, with the score tied at 22-all. He hit Simon Atkins, who was trying to throw a long pass to a streaking Joel Tolentino.

Atkins, who was also given a technical foul after that, fell on the floor, then went up and traded barbs with Cawaling, earning the latter a technical foul and an ejection.

The Smart Gilas-RP team member failed to score a single point in that contest.

– JVP/KY, GMANews.TV