UAAP: UP's Chris Ball cleared to play

The Fighting Maroons will be allowed to keep their first win of the season, and their young center. In a statement to the press, UAAP secretary-treasurer Junel Baculi said that Filipino-American Chris Ball, a center with the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, will be allowed to play for the remainder of the second round, after missing documents threatened to make him ineligible. According to Baculi, the UAAP board granted UP's appeal to allow Ball to play, after the 6'6" player produced his Alien Certificate of Registration. The said document was issued to the player on August 14, well before the August 24 league deadline for documents.

Cris Ball's Alien Certificate of Registration. #UAAP75 twitter.com/UAAPSeason75/s…

— UAAP Season 75 (@UAAPSeason75) August 29, 2012

Ball was the only player with eligibility issues after the first round. As a consequence, the league threatened to rescind the Maroons's only victory so far, a 63-48 win against the University of the East Red Warriors, in which Ball played. As a precaution, UP coach Ricky Dandan held him out of their last game against the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles. Ball, who averages 7.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, is expected to play in UP's six remaining games this season. - AMD, GMA News