PBA suspends Norwood, Mercado
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 01/09/2009 2:48 AM
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Philippine Basketball Association officials has slapped top draft pick Gabe Norwood with a one-game suspension for dishing out a flagrant foul against Sta. Lucia’s Nelbert Omolon.
A report posted on SportsNews.ph said the Rain or Shine superstar, who was called for Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 in Wednesday’s 101-84 win by Sta. Lucia, will also pay a P20,000 fine.
Norwood’s suspension means bad news for the Elasto Painters, which still have to contend with the Realtors on Friday in Game 2 of their best-of-three quarterfinals showdown.
Norwood’s teammate Solomon Mercado also faces a suspension after the league decided to upgrade his Flagrant Foul Penalty 1 to Penalty 2 for pushing Omolon in the same incident.
He, however, will serve out his suspension on Sunday, should there be a Game 3.
Sta. Lucia is leading the series, 1-0.
Realtors’ Joseph Yeo was also fined P10,000 for going after Norwood after the latter threw the ball at Omolon.
Marlou Aquino is also suspended for one game apart from a P20,000 fine for trying to trip Rain or Shine’s Jay-R Reyes in the first half.
The winner of the Sta. Lucia-Rain or Shine showdown will meet semifinalist Alaska Aces.
Meanwhile, Ginebra San Miguel will also try to beat sister team San Miguel Beer to make it into the semifinals.
The Ginebra-SMB match up starts at 5 pm while Sta. Lucia faces Rain or Shine meet at 7:30 pm.
