One of the fans who flashed the dirty finger sign in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter of an intense Ateneo-La Salle game last Wednesday has apologized for his behavior.
The fan known as Chot Kabigting was cheering for the Ateneo Blue Eagles and was among the many in the crowd who felt highly emotional about the game.
Kabigting sent his apologies through messages posted on social media forums of the Ateneo and De La Salle communities.
La Salle’s board of managing director to the UAAP Edwin Reyes were among those who took the initiative of making public postings of Kabigting’s apology letter.
The incident took place in the last four minutes and seven seconds of Game 2 of the 80th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball finals at the Araneta Coliseum.
Somebody threw a plastic bottle on the court, while others flashed the dirty finger sign when a technical foul was called on two Ateneo assistant coaches for continuous complaining.
Thirdy Ravena had just scored to charities to cut Ateneo’s deficit to 10, 72-82.
“I deeply regret and sincerely apologize from the heart my unacceptable behavior and gesture of pointing a dirty finger at some La Salle players and bench in Game 2,” read Kabigting's statement shared on social media forums.
Kabigting’s photo had since gone viral on social media.
Ateneo’s meltdown in Game 2 was the first of its kind for the Eagles in recent years.
Historically, no team in 30 years has managed to come back from a big deficit and win a finals game.
But, it happened in season 80.
That was when the Blue Eagles squandered a 21-point lead and bowed to the Green Archers, 92-83, in Game 2 of their best-of-three finals series.
The last time this happened was in 1987 when the Blue Eagles rallied back from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
The Blue Eagles went on to win their first-ever title in the league with a 94-92 triumph over the University of the East Warriors.
At that time, free throw shots from Emilio Chuatico and Eric Reyes Jr. sealed the deal for the Blue Eagles.
Joseph “Jet” Nieto, the father of twins Matthew and Mike, led a decisive run and sparked it with a triple in the beginning of the last period.
And it was baskets from Gilbert Reyes and Nieto that brought the Blue Eagles closer, 92-86.
In season 80, with scoring ace Ricci Rivero shackled by four fouls in the first half, Andrei Caracut joined Aljun Melecio in helping the Green Archers in turning the tables on the Blue Eagles.
Caracut, a third-year veteran of the squad, banged in 13 points, including seven crucial points that provided fuel for La Salle’s successful effort to tie their best-of-three title series at 1-all.
He and Rivero scored big a crucial run in the third period, knocking in a three-pointer and three-point play that put La Salle within reach, 54-56, with 4:03 left.
From there, the Green Archers overtook the Blue Eagles, and they are now set to face the Blue Eagles in a deciding Game 3 encounter this Sunday.