UAAP suspends Ateneo's Escueta for Game 1

Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) will be a man short when it guns for a third straight crown against Far Eastern University (FEU) in Game 1 of the UAAP Finals on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Big man Jason Escueta will serve a one-game suspension in that contest after committing his second unsportsmanlike foul of the season.

Escueta, during the Blue Eagles' Final Four game against Adamson University, was called for that violation in the second quarter when he was battling the Falcons' Jan Colina for a rebound play.

The Blue Eagles coasted to a 68-55 victory that propelled them to a best-of-three title showdown with the Tamaraws.

The decision came after UAAP commissioner Ato Badolato reviewed the game tape of the Ateneo-Adamson contest to see if there was any possibility of downgrading the call.

The loss of Escueta for the opener would hurt Ateneo's chances of competing heavily against the FEU frontline led by Aldrech Ramos, Reil Cervantes, Anton Bringas and Carl Bryan Cruz.

"There's not much we can do about it. It's going to hurt us as far as size is concerned because we need big bodies to match up with FEU's big men but we'll do the best we can without him," said Ateneo coach Norman Black.

With Escueta out, the roles will be given to the likes of Justin Chua, Arthur Dela Cruz and Frank Golla to neutralize the FEU frontline.

The decision came after the league spared FEU's JR Cawaling a one-game ban after he was ejected in the Tamaraws' 69-59 overtime victory last Thursday.

Cawaling, a member of the Smart Gilas-RP team, was ejected for committing two infractions.

One was an unsportsmanlike foul called on him for hitting Simon Atkins during a fastbreak play then was quickly tossed out for shoving a game official after figuring in a near face-to-face shouting match with Atkins.

Mico Halili, GMA News