By ADRIAN STEWART CO
University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons guard Reyland Torres has opted to move on from De La Salle University Green Archers head coach Michael “Topex” Robinson’s alleged spitting on him.
According to Torres, he decided not to dwell on the controversy and focused on their game against the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers on Sunday, October 13, which they won, 83-73.
“Siguro nag-focus lang ako sa game kaya isinantabi muna namin ‘yun. Mas mahalaga ‘yung game eh, mas mahalaga ‘yung team namin, so tapos na po ‘yun,” Torres told the media after the game on Sunday night.
“May goal din kami as a team, kaya dun na lang kami mag-focus. Hindi ko naman isasa-alang alang ‘yung team ko dahil lang dun sa insidente na ‘yun. Kaya sa games na lang kami nag-focus,” he added.
The Negros Occidental’s Bago City native said he is fine with the UAAP Board’s decision to just hand him and Robinson “a stern formal warning” for the alleged spitting incident.
“Sa akin naman, okay lang naman kasi pinag-isipan din naman siguro nila ‘yun eh. Naging patas lang sila,” Torres said.
“Sa part nila, mahirap ‘yun eh, ‘yung mag-isip kung anuman ‘yung naging decision nila. Thankful pa din ako dun,” he added.
In a separate post-game presser, Fighting Maroons head coach Goldwyn Monteverde said he respects the decision of the UAAP Board not to suspend anyone as he hoped that the league will be strict on similar incidents moving forward.
“We respect the decision [of the UAAP Board], but at the end of the day, I am confident [that we] will be very strict on wala nang mangyayaring incident ng pagdudura,” Monteverde said.
“For me, what is important is ‘yung well-being ng mga players,” he added.
Robinson faced backlash after a video appeared to show him spitting at Torres during the Green Archers’ 68-56 victory over the Fighting Maroons last week at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Fighting Maroons filed a protest with UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag regarding the incident, submitting video evidence of the alleged spitting, but the league opted to just hand “a stern formal warning” against Torres and Robinson./ASC, WDJ