Eloquent silence of the Leones de Ponce by Arecibo and Juan Cardona

The manager of the Leones de Ponce in the National Superior Basketball (BSN), Gerardo Misla, did not want to comment on Saturday regarding the possible hiring of coach Juan Cardona by the Capitanes de Arecibo, an action that was ruled out by the Arecibo management a few weeks ago.

Misla took a call from Primera Hora but, in a sober tone, said that he could not comment on the matter because BSN statutes prohibited him from doing so.

He declined to comment on whether the team would go to the league to make any kind of claim.

Neither the BSN tournament director, José Couto, nor the general manager of the Capitanes, Ángel Edgardo García, answered calls from Primera Hora, which published on Saturday afternoon that the Arecibo people had hired Cardona and that he would direct the practice Saturday of the team in the Petaca Iguina.

Cardona is the focus of allegations of improper negotiations, or ‘tampering’, made in recent weeks by Misla after learning that, despite having an agreement to lead Ponce, Cardona allegedly received an offer from the Captains.

After two games, Cardona left Ponce, alleging that he could not reach an agreement on contractual terms with the Leones.

At the time, Misla told this newspaper that the Capitanes’ management contacted him to clarify that they were not the ones who contacted Cardona, but that it had apparently been the representation of the leader who contacted the team. And that in the face of this scenario, according to Misla, Arecibo would not continue talks with Cardona.

Ponce finally reached an agreement with the experienced Carlos Morales, who was an assistant at the Ponce bank, to lead the quintet.

The Lions played on Saturday in Mayaguez and the Capitanes would host the Guaynabo Mets on Sunday at the Petaca Iguina.