By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Things went completely out of control during the World Cup Qualifiers game between Australia and Philippines with players (and not only) of both teams getting involved into a huge brawl.
Per Fox Sports Australia, near the end of the third period, Australia’s Chris Goulding was hit on the face. His teammate Daniel Kickert reacted with an elbow hit at Philippines’ player Ray Pogoy and then more and more players from both teams entered the fight. Bucks’ Thon Maker and former NBAer Andray Blatche were part of the incident.
The Chief Executive of Basketball Australia Anthony Moore has issued the following statement: “Basketball Australia deeply regrets the incident in tonight’s match between the Boomers and the Philippines in Manila. We are extremely disappointed with what happened and our role in it. This is not the spirit in which sport should be played and certainly not in the spirit in which we aim to play basketball. We apologise to our fans and will await the penalties to be handed down.”
FIBA has already opened disciplinary proceedings against both teams. The decision will be communicated in the coming days.
The aftermath? 13 players (nine from the Philippines, four from the Australian national team) ejected.