NCAA Lifts Banning Of Foreign Players

A move to ban foreigners from playing basketball in the NCAA tournament failed to get approval from the league’s policy board whose members admitted that their hands are tied by the NCAA bylaws which permit non-Filipinos to play for any school so long as they are enrolled legitimately and finished a two-year residency.

The move was initiated months ago by Letran president Fr. Tamerlane Lana who said there should be a stop to allowing foreigners from playing in the league.

Though some schools reportedly supported his position, other members were against it.

A ban, however, must require a change or revision of the NCAA bylaws which the policy board said it has no power to initiate at the moment.

The policy board met last Thursday and practically shelved Fr. Lana’s proposal saying the bylaws must be followed in the meantime.

With the proposal hanging in the balance and the NCAA tournament just a few months away, foreign platers currently in the lineup of various schools can practice and stay with the team until further notice.

These players include American Sudan Daniel of San Beda College, Cameroonians Joe Etame and John Njei of Jose Rizal College and Malaysian-Chinese Wei Li of Emilio Aguinaldo College.

Most likely, the target of the protest is Daniel who helped San Beda to capture the NCAA title last year and also won the MVP award in the process.

Previously San Beda won three straight titles behind the heroics of Nigerian Sam Ekwe who also won a couple of MVP awards.

San Beda coach Frankie Lim said he has no doubt the move was aimed at San Beda alone.

“This is an attack on San Beda,” he said in an early interview. “It is a move to bring us down.”

MB.Com.ph