CONTROVERSIAL COMMITTEE VERDICT REVISES LIPBL STANDINGS
By John Cairns
YUNG SHUE WAN, Lamma Island, Hong Kong – On Sundays, game day for participants in the five-team Lamma Island Pinoy Basketball League (LIPBL), the most special thing about the ongoing competition isn’t the players, the referees or the venue at Yung Shue Wan's outdoor basketball court. It's the fans who routinely attend games, enjoy the action and cheer vigorously.
Not only do the spectators have fun, with the spectacle of local basketball enhanced by sideline snacks and socializing, but their unfailing presence and yells of support make the games memorable for the players too. This story is dedicated to the fans. Hurray for them!
At any break in the game action, youngsters from the audience pour onto the court to shoot a few hoops too. Last Sunday, one referee even briefly took time to play defense against a tiny sharpshooter.
In another notable scene, a dog named George, a regular at LIPBL games, sat looking solemn, seriously worried. One of his basketball-playing family members, Ivan Fernie of the Awesome Tigers, had suffered a back injury. As Ivan and George together viewed subsequent action, the pet showed vastly more concern for his human than for anything else.
The Tigers (green uniforms) won a close game, 101-95, against the hard-luck Huggen D'ass (red). Then the Lamma Archers (blue) outpaced the league-leading Gray Hawks 112-96.
Massage Anyone?
In yet another LIPBL highlight, a large delegation from Filreflex, the Hong Kong-based Filipino Reflexology Therapists Association, set up just outside the basketball court. Players and fans could treat themselves to short massages with the money raised going to charity.
Protest Reverses Earlier Game Result
In a controversial decision that took nearly three weeks to emerge, the LIPBL's executive committee delivered a terse verdict last night. It ruled in favor of the Archers, reversing the on-court result of a past game against the Tigers because the latter allegedly used an ineligible player.
As one league representative said, “Blue team's protest against the green team was upheld by the ExeCom. The October 30 game's result was nullified, and the blue team declared the winner by forfeiture.”
League commissioner Banny Defeo regards the decision as final. He plans to entertain no more appeals on the issue.
In the disputed game, the Tigers rallied from behind to prevail 89-85. Reversal of that result dramatically changes the league standings. The Archers, once the only winless team, now vault past the Tigers into second place.
Another Archers' win in their final game would put them even with the Gray Hawks atop the standings. Then the Archers would take first place based on twice beating the Hawks earlier.
Frontrunners all season and often impressive, the Hawks suddenly look powerless. Already having played their last regular-season game, they only can watch and wait, helpless to prevent the Archers from possibly overtaking them.
Next Sunday's vital contest sends the surging Archers against Huggen D'ass. Winning would prolong a remarkable comeback for the once last-place blue squad. But if Huggen D'ass dodges enough arrows to win, and if the Tigers triumph too, then the Archers will tumble back into third place and out of the LIPBL championship game.
Next week's second contest sees the Tigers face the Lamma Lickers. Roused by the illegal-player verdict, the Tigers should be ready to roar.
If weather permits, the LIPBL season will end with
two playoff games on December 4.
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LIPBL Standings
Gray Hawks (gray) – 6 wins, 2 losses
Lamma Archers (blue) – 5 wins, 2 losses
Awesome Tigers (green) – 4 wins, 3 losses
Huggen D'ass (red) – 2 wins, 5 losses
Lamma Lickers (yellow) – 1 win, 6 losses
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