La Salle swingman EJ Gollena will miss the Green Archers’ crucial game against longtime rival Ateneo on Wednesday in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament.
The 6-foot-3 Gollena won’t be available after being slapped with a one-game suspension following his disqualifying foul during La Salle’s 87-82 win over University of the Philippines on Saturday.
‘Gollena will serve his suspension on Wednesday, November 26, when the Green Archers face the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles at the Smart Araneta Coliseum,’ the UAAP said in a statement on Monday.
‘With 6.6 seconds left in the first quarter, just before UP’s throw-in, Gollena, using his closed right fist, punched UP’s #9 Francis Nnoruka in the upper right stomach after Nnoruka forcefully used his forearms to remove Gollena’s hands from his midsection,’ the statement added. ‘De La Salle University may file a motion for reconsideration regarding the suspension.’
The Green Archers are among the three teams fighting for the last Final Four spot. They’re currently holding onto the fourth seed at 7-6 with Far Eastern University (6-7) and Ateneo (6-7) trailing by just a game in the standings.
Despite being in a precarious situation, La Salle remains in control of its fate. A win over Ateneo earns the Archers the last semifinals spot and a date with top seed National University.
A three-way tie at 7-7 will pave the way for a stepladder. The team with the superior quotient gets a bye while the other two figure in a first do-or-die duel. The winner of that playoff takes on the squad that drew a bye for the last Final Four seat.