Cesafi upholds decision to suspend UC coach Kern Sesante

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) stuck to its decision to suspend University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters head coach Kenneth Kernn Sesante for one game after Tuesday’s incident at the Cebu Coliseum.

It can be recalled that Sesante was ejected from their game against the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) after his on-court outburst against referee Roland Yamelo.

This after Yamelo called a technical foul on UC’s Danie Lapiz for allegedly ‘flopping’ during the game.

Sesante believed it was an offensive foul on USJ-R’s Jules Langres, who drove to the basket and made contact on Lapiz.

Sesante insisted and even filed a letter of protest and several video clips on that particular sequence to overturn Cesafi’s initial decision of calling a technical foul on his player and to reconsider his suspension.

READ MORE: UC head coach files protest against Cesafi referee

On Friday, the Cesafi technical committee released its decision through a written report that they will uphold their decision after a thorough review.

“The committee hereby recommends the following: 1. to uphold the call of technical foul on Lapiz (Danie) for flopping since it is a judgment call on Referee Roland Yamelo and no act of violence committed either by Jules Langres or Dannie Boy Lapiz in the play. 2. Maintain the technical fouls called on UC head coach Atty. Kenneth Kernn Sesante and Asst. Coach Jerry Abuyabor since their actions are in violation of the FIBA Rules. 3. UC Head coach Atty. Sesante shall be suspended in UC’s game against UV on Saturday, November 11, 2023, pay a fine of P10,000 and to render four (4) hours of community service.”

The Cesafi technical committee also issued a stern warning on referee Roland Yamelo for his missed call on the play between Langres and Lapiz.

Sesante already explained that his outburst was out of frustration after the contact between Lapiz and Langres happened in front of them. Worse, Yamelo called Lapiz for a technical foul.

He said, though, he accepted the decision of the league

“I fully respect the decision of CESAFI. I am very grateful to the Technical Committee for acting immediately on our Protest,” Sesante said.

“More importantly, I thank CESAFI for being humble enough to acknowledge it was a mistake on the part of Referee Roland Yamelo to call a technical foul for flopping on UC’s Danie Boy Lapiz.”

The Webmasters, the league leader in the Cesafi men’s basketball tournament with an 8-0 (win-loss) record, will face the University of the Visayas (6-0) on Saturday, November 11.

Sesante will be serving the suspension in this much-anticipated game between unbeaten teams.

UC will have assistant coaches in Calib Gawangon, Jerry Abuyabor, and Dondon Hontiveros calling the shots for the team.

/bmjo

READ MORE: UC hopes to put up good fight against UV in battle of undefeated Cesafi teams