UST reaches for unending grace over NUNS ‘tasteless taunting’
University of Santo Tomas head coach Aying Esteban said he asked his players to take the high road as players and officials of National University-Nazareth School (NUNS) were left to apologize for what fans decried as tasteless taunting during the two schools’ clash in the UAAP Season 88 boys volleyball semifinals.
In a report by The Varsitarian, the award-winning official school organ of UST, Aying said NUNS players reached out to the Junior Golden Spikers to apologize after the incident, where several Bullpups were seen taunting disconsolate UST players after the do-or-die duel that NUNS won by doing the crying gesture.
“I told the players not to make a fuss out of what happened after the game; be like professional players,” Esteban told The Varsitarian in Filipino on Tuesday. “We weren’t affected anyway by what they did.”
NUNS released a statement on Tuesday saying it was enforcing “appropriate sanctions” on the players involved.
“NU Nazareth School sincerely apologizes for the behavior shown by some of our high school volleyball players after the recent UAAP match against UST,” the statement read.
Esteban also said that school officials reached out to UST athletic director and UAAP Season 88 president Fr. Rodel Cancansio to apologize on behalf of the school.
Several players also posted apologies on social media for their behavior.
UST, the Season 87 champion, finished fourth this season while NUNS advanced to the finals to face the University of the East Junior Red Warriors.
