(Updated Oct. 22, 2018, 11:10 a.m.) The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons’ new acquisition Kobe Paras criticized the reported disqualification of Ateneo Blue Eagles star Thirdy Ravena from the individual awards race of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines Season 81.
The prized 6’6 guard who is sitting out the year in accordance with the league’s rules on transferees on Friday tweeted that whoever decided on the matter had yet to ever touch a basketball in his life.
“UAAP, I bet my life that the person who disqualified Thirdy doesn’t even hoop or hasn’t even touched/played with a damn basketball before 🤦… Y’all so weak,” Paras wrote in a now deleted tweet.
ABS-CBN Sports earlier that day cited an anonymous source from the league confirmed that its house rules disqualified suspended players from winning individual awards at the end of the season.
Paras after receiving some criticism for his tweets explained that he merely wanted to defend Thirdy, whom he referred to as his “brother.”
“Brother* This has nothing to do with UP at all 😊 This is about my brother not being able to receive any awards,” Paras added in a separate tweet, which was similarly deleted.
Brother*
this has nothing to do with UP at all 😊
this is about my brother not being able to receive any awards https://t.co/wGDpi4jM7V
— Kobe Lorenzo Forster Paras (@_kokoparas) October 19, 2018
Ravena was given a one-game suspension after a hard foul on guard Paul Desiderio, Paras’ teammate during one sequence in defending champion Ateneo’s 83-66 victory over U.P last Sunday.
He will sit out the Blue Eagles’ second round meeting with the Far Eastern University Tamaraws.
The star forward defended himself after the match after drawing flak for what many called a dirty play, saying that he already apologized to Desiderio and that what transpired was “part of the game.”
Galit kayo sakin dahil "sinapak" ko si Paul. Nagsorry parin ako sa kanya tapos sabi niya sakin na okay lang, kasama sa laro yun. Totoo naman. Check niyo nalang rin kung ano nangyari pagpasa sakin ni Tyler ng bola. 😁 Am I mad or am I complaining? Nope. Im just saying. Peace. ✌🏽 https://t.co/Xc9CHrCor2
— Thirdy (@ThirdyRavenaaa) October 14, 2018
He was named Player of the Game after hauling 21 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals.
Ravena, a two-time selection for the league’s annual Mythical Five awards Finals MVP in the previous season, was 14th in the MVP race at the end of the first round.
Paras, who is expected to suit up for the state university in 2019, is the son of U.P. alumnus and Philippine Basketball Association legend Benjie Paras, who was part of the last Fighting Maroons squad to win a basketball trophy in 1986.
He played for Creighton University in Division 1 of the United States’ National Collegiate Athletics Association but transferred to Cal State Northridge after one season. He confirmed his decision to move back home to play for U.P. after sitting out one year in Cal State due to NCAA transfer rules.
He has also played for the Philippines’ national men’s, youth and 3×3 squads in international competitions.
