The Bushrod Bulls, a prominent team in the Liberia Basketball Association (LBA) National First Division, has been expelled from the league for the remainder of the season following an incident of misconduct during a critical playoff qualification match. The decision, announced on August 17, 2024, comes after the team’s controversial walkout from a match against the National Port Authority Anchors.
During a high-stakes game held at the SKD Gymnasium on August 10, 2024, the Bulls disrupted the event by leaving the court without completing the match report or receiving authorization from league officials. This action, deemed a breach of league statutes, led to their immediate expulsion and a fine of 20,000 Liberian dollars.
The expulsion notice was communicated to Richmond Tobii, President of the LTC Bushrod Bulls, by Calvin Diggs, Secretary General of the LBA. The official statement reads, “We regret to inform you that your team, the LTC Bushrod Bulls, is hereby eliminated from the national league effective immediately.”
The decision aligns with the 2024 rules and regulations, which stipulate fines and expulsion for such violations. The fine must be paid in full before the Bulls are eligible to participate in the next league season.
“This action is taken to uphold the integrity and fairness of the league,” the communication emphasized, expressing hope that the team would adhere to the regulations in the future.
As a result of the expulsion, the NPA Pythons have been elevated to replace the Bushrod Bulls in the playoffs. The Pythons won two of their five games in the phase-2 category, making them the best loser among the six competing clubs. They commenced their playoff campaign against the Cestos Mongars on Sunday at 5 PM at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Gymnasium. The LPRC Oilers faced defending champions Mighty Barrolle in the other playoff match at 7 PM.
At the time of this report, the outcomes of these playoff games were not yet available.
