UV team manager Samsam Gullas put his foot down and ordered Justin Rosete (inset) to be suspended from the Baby Lancers.
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UV team manager lets go of erring cager
University of the Visayas (UV) team manager Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas has banished controversial Baby Lancer Justin Jake Rosete from the squad for his actions against Ateneo de Cebu guard Andrew Velasco in Game Two of the NBTC Cebu finals last Sunday.
Apparently having had enough of Rosete’s shenanigans, the low point of which was striking Velasco on the chin, a day after it had been sutured to close a deep gash, Gullas ordered the 17-year-old cager to be suspended from the squad and his scholarship revoked.
The young politician and sportsman said that he came upon the decision after reviewing the video evidence and consulting with his coaches, NBTC officials led by Cebu tournament commissioner Al Solis, and even the referee that called the unsportsmanlike foul on Rosete after the aforementioned play.
“After carefully studying the footage during game 2 of NBTC Championship, it can be seen that Mr. Rosete intentionally inflicted an unsportsmanlike foul against Velasco, a player who had eight stitches on his chin as well. At the end of the day, I decided that there was clear intention to hurt Velasco. First of all he didn’t have the ball and secondly there wasn’t even a scramble for anything, it was deliberately done,” Gullas said in his statement.
As a result, Gullas put his foot down and quickly cut bait on the beleaguered youngster, after giving him more than enough chances to reform during his brief career with the Baby Lancers. He also made Rosete immediately available to schools who might be interesting in signing up the promising cager.
“I want the public to know that Rosete is suspended and is out of Game 3 of the NBTC championship. His scholarship is hereby revoked and cancelled, although he will be allowed, for academic purposes, to attend classes until March. If after this school year, anyone is interested to get him, his records will be released to any school, no questions asked,” Gullas added.
Gullas could not help but be frustrated with Rosete’s actuations, especially after giving the latter a stern warning for applying a headlock to Ateneo de Cebu’s Benedict Chua during a game in the Cesafi last year.
“It is very frustrating, as the team manager because I have given him too many chances to rebuild himself, make him a better player, make him a better person and inculcate in him sportsmanship but maybe his heart is not into it. As the team manager, it is incumbent upon me to do what is right whether it is in the interest of winning or losing championships and history suggests that,“ Gullas continued.
“When Mr. Rosete inflicted the injury to another player, he ceased to be a member of the Baby Green Lancer. Mr. Rosete’s conduct does not reflect that of a true Visayanian. He made a mockery of himself by insulting the league, the fans and UV.”
(video grabbed from Facebook via Maxi Green)