Former Southwestern University (SWU) “King Cobra” Ben Mbala will have to wait for another year before he makes his much-awaited debut for the La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP after he was made to serve an additional one year of residency for playing in the Pacman Cup in January of this year.
The development was finalized yesterday during a UAAP Board meeting held at the campus of this season’s host school, the University of the Philippines to finalize the details of its 78th season which opens next month.
Mbala, who was recruited by La Salle from SWU, was found to have played in the tournament in General Santos City. League rules prevent players who are in the process of establishing their residency requirements from playing for another team in any league.
This development leaves the Archers without much of a big man with Norbert Torres already applying for the PBA Draft and Arnold Van Opstal opting to forego his final year of eligibility.
La Salle’s chief rival, Ateneo, also got some bad news as their prized recruit – guard Hubert Cani – was deemed ineligible to benefit from the passage of Sen. Pia Cayetano’s “Student-Athletes Protection Act.”