Ateneo team manager speaks up on Mark Leviste incident | ABS-CBN

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Sports

Ateneo team manager speaks up on Mark Leviste incident

Ateneo team manager speaks up on Mark Leviste incident

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

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Former Batangas Vice-Mayor Mark Leviste points a finger after being escorted back to his seat at the Mall of Asia Arena during Game 1 of the UAAP Season 79 Finals. Photo by Bon Servinda of LiveScoresPH via TJ Manotoc, ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines – Ateneo de Manila University team manager Epok Quimpo believes that any fan who approaches a team's bench with aggression should be escorted out of the playing venue.

Quimpo made the statement, after Saturday's incident involving De La Salle University alumnus and former Batangas vice governor Mark Leviste in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 79 Finals.

Leviste claimed that he was provoked by a member of the Ateneo coaching staff and answered the call by approaching the Blue Eagles' bench during the third quarter of Game 1, which was later won by La Salle, 67-65.

Leviste was escorted by the Mall of Asia Arena bouncers back to his seat in the patron section, but remained unrepentant about his actions.

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On Twitter, Leviste said: "I won't brag about my action, but I won't shy away in showing my Lasallian pride."

Leviste also said: "Kung ang Atenista 'win or lose it's the school we choose,' ako 'tama o mali, walang iwanan."

Quimpo, the team manager of the Blue Eagles, lamented the incident. In a statement released Sunday, he said: "I think any fan who approaches the bench with aggression should be escorted out by the guards – whether it's from the green or blue side."

"If this will not be addressed by the officials, there's a big chance that this will happen again," Quimpo warned.

Quimpo, himself a former Blue Eagle who was part of Ateneo's championship team in 2002, hopes that the two teams will live up to the best versions of themselves for the rest of the Finals series.

"This is Ateneo-La Salle," he said. "Let the teams play their best, let the tradition continue – where sportsmanship, class, and respect is shared by the schools."

Game 2 of the best-of-three series is on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

(For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.)

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