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MPBL: Disqualified Basilan says club was ‘sacrificed’ to get tournament going

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<div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/basilansteel/photos/pcb.714080749288819/714079732622254" data-width="auto"> </div><p>Basilan Steel Jumbo Plastic hit the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League’s decision to disqualify the team and allow Davao Occidental-Cocolife Tigers to advance to the Lakan Cup national finals against San Juan Knights-Go for Gold.</p><p>“Basilan Steel is greatly disappointed with the decision of the MPBL Management committee in defaulting our Division Finals game against Davao Occidental,” the team said in a statement posted on its official Facebook account Tuesday.</p><p>&quot;We feel that the our team is sacrificed just for the sake of finishing the season.&quot;</p><p>Basilan was supposed to take on Davao Occidental in a rubber match following a 1-1 tie in their best-of-3 South Division final.</p><p>But the team was placed in a 7-day quarantine after two of their players tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.</p><p>MPBL dommissioner Kenneth Duremdes said that the league decided that if at least there&#x27;s one positive test in the re-swab would mean an automatic disqualification for Basilan.</p><p>&quot;Update is four ang positive,&quot; said Duremdes on Tuesday.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/03/16/21/mpbl-davao-through-to-finals-by-default-as-covid-cases-rock-basilan-team">MPBL: Davao through to finals by default as COVID cases rock Basilan team</a></li></ul><p>But the team blamed the MPBL for rushing its resumption, claiming that his forced their players to expose themselves to the dangers of the virus.</p><p>&quot;With very limited time given by the MPBL, our players exposed themselves to danger to prepare for the games,&quot; the statement read.</p><p>Basilan sought for a re-swab for their players for confirmatory results, but their appeal “fell on deaf ears”.</p><p>&quot;We are asking for reconsideration from the MPBL and directly to (MPBL founder) Senator Manny Pacquiao not just for us but for the integrity of the league,&quot; the club said.</p><p>Tigers are set to play San Juan starting March 17 at the Subic Bay Gymnasium.</p><p>Games will be almost every day until the series ends, with just a one-day breather after Game 2.</p><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BHaod2BCe6E?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Basilan criticized the decision to disqualify the team and allow Davao Occidental to advance to the Lakan Cup national finals against San Juan Knights.<br /> </p>

Basilan criticized the decision to disqualify the team and allow Davao Occidental to advance to the Lakan Cup national finals against San Juan Knights.