MANILA, Philippines — University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigresses head coach Haydee Ong has been slapped with a mandatory one-game suspension following the accumulation of three infractions in the UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Coach Ong will sit out on Sunday, November 8, as the Growling Tigresses prepare to face the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The suspension stems from UST's recent clash against De La Salle University, where the Tigresses bench was handed a technical foul for unsportsmanlike behavior at the 3:30 mark of the third quarter. The penalty was whistled after members of the coaching staff and players vocally and demonstratively disagreed with an official's call. This incident unfolded despite the team having already received an official warning in the second quarter for continually challenging officiating decisions.
Under the updated UAAP House Rules, a one-game suspension is automatically triggered upon the accumulation of three infractions—an adjustment from last year's limit of two. Ong's first two infractions were recorded earlier in the season on October 17 during their matchup against the Ateneo de Manila University.
The Growling Tigresses will look to adjust on the sidelines as they navigate Sunday's crucial encounter against the Lady Tamaraws without their veteran head coach. TMT
