PBA commissioner Willie Marcial will meet with players spotted in a viral video playing in an unsanctioned game in Cebu over the weekend, which ended in a brawl involving NLEX Road Warriors center JR Quinahan and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters center Beau Belga.
In a video that has circulated around social media throughout the weekend, Quinahan was seen trading punches with an unidentified foreign player. Belga then came over and threw the ball at the foreigner.
"I will meet with all of them next week, after the FIBA World Cup draw," Marcial told ESPN in Tagalog. "I've asked all of them to come in."
Also seen in the video were NorthPort Batang Pier guard Robert Bolick and Magnolia Hotshots guard Jio Jalalon. Marcial said they're checking to see if Converge FiberXers guard Alec Stockton and Blackwater Bossing center Barkley Ebona were also there.
If the players did not get permission from their teams to participate in the game, Marcial said they would face stiff fines.
NLEX coach Frankie Lim told ESPN that team management will hear Quinahan's side first before making a decision on what punishment, if any, to mete. He added that the center did not ask permission from the team to play in Cebu.
Quinahan has not played since July 31. He sat out the Commissioner's Cup and the Governors' Cup due to a heel injury, and his contract is set to expire at the end of the year.
Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao declined to comment, instead pointing to a post on the team's official Instagram account, which stated that Belga has been suspended for six working days without pay for participating in an unsanctioned game.
The PBA does not allow players under contract to play in other leagues or exhibition games not sanctioned by the league. In February 2020, Vic Manuel and Jio Jalalon were fined PHP50,000 each for such an infraction, while Ping Exciminiano suffered a knee injury that left him out in the cold after his then-team, the Elasto Painters, declined to renew his contract.