NLEX’s veteran center Asi Taulava missed the game against crowd-favorite Barangay Ginebra San Miguel yesterday after he was meted a one-game suspension and fined P32,500 by the PBA Commissioner’s Office for his unsportsmanlike actions last week.
The decision of PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa on Taulava’s case was released Tuesday evening, a day before the game between the Road Warriors and the Kings at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The 6-foot-10 Taulava had a heated verbal exchange with second-year forward Anthony Semerad during NLEX’s game against defending champion San Miguel Beer in the PBA Governors’ Cup last Friday.
The two were pacified by teammates but were assessed with technical fouls, although video replays showed Taulava slapping Semerad during that second quarter scuffle.
The fracas started when Semerad hit Warriors import Henry Walker in the face with a forearm.
Taulava bumped Semerad after that, and as the two were being separated the former came out with a resounding slap in the face of Semerad.