WHAT A BRAWL
CHARGES MAY BE FILED OVER PH-AUSSIE FIGHT
Basketball Australia says world governing body FIBA will enter “new territory” when it investigates a bench-clearing brawl during Australia’s World Cup qualifying match against the Philippines Monday.
It would not rule out criminal charges being laid.
Thirteen players—four Australians and 9 Filipinos—were ejected for their part in the brawl, which took place in the third quarter of the match at the Philippine Arena. The match was won 79-48 by Australia.
Fighting erupted with four minutes left in the quarter when Australia’s Chris Goulding was knocked to the ground by an opponent, with Goulding’s teammate Daniel Kickert reacting by flooring a Filipino player with an elbow. Filipino players and officials poured onto the court and a wild melee began.
Although the actions of some of the Gilas Pilipinas players in a brawl with Australia were unforgivable, two former national team members felt that it was a spur-of-the-moment reaction.
“We are that invested when it comes to basketball and when things like extra motions or of that nature happens, most of the time we can’t control our emotions. It might look bad, or it really looks bad to other people, but it makes sense to the people close to you, your teammates, your family, that inner circle. Every person has his or her own opinion to this unfortunate event. Again because we are that invested, we care and we want our Gilas to succeed. And you can’t blame them why they reacted in that way, too,” Dondon Hontiveros, a FIBA Asia Championship silver medalist, told SunStar Cebu.
“(Expletive) happens in a game but I would have retaliated differently,” said Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner Mon Fernandez, a four-time PBA MVP.
Fernandez believes that it got out of hand after Kickert blind-sided Cebuano Roger Pogoy with a forearm to the head and partly because of the referees’ inefficiency.
“Kickert started it with a cheap shot,” Fernandez said. “Also, the referees were not in control. As I said (expletive) happens in any game; there is always a possibility of a brawl.”
Atty. Baldomero Estenzo, the University of Cebu (UC) high school team manager, felt that the brawl was because of RR Pogoy. But, like Fernandez, he also thought the referees lost control of the game.
“Pogoy started it all. The referees could have done better to prevent it from escalating. I hope no suspension will be imposed by FIBA,” he said. “It’s very embarrassing. Maybe we should change those players who were involved in the free-for-all.”
Estenzo, however, was proud with how former UC star June Mar Fajardo reacted to the incident.
“I am so proud of June Mar for his sportsmanship. It speaks volumes of how he was brought up by his parents and of him as a person. He is truly a very good role model for the young,” said Estenzo.
Fajardo along with Gabe Norwood and Baser Amer were the three players who were not involved in the rumble.
Pogoy, Jayson Castro, Terrence Romeo, Andray Blatche, Calvin Abueva, Japeth Aguilar, Matthew Wright, Troy Rosario and Carl Bryan Cruz were all sent out of the game for the brawl. Milwaukee Bucks’ Thon Maker, Chris Goulding, Nathan Sobey and Kickert were also ejected from the Australian side. /
Hindi sa lahat ng panahon papairalin ang init ng ulo. Lagi sinasabi nang parents ko if pwede mo iwasan ang gulo, iwasan mo na baka sisihin mo sa huli. Nakita ko nagkagulo na, sayang yung opportunity na maimprove tayo. pinaghandaan natin ang worl cup pero nangyari na dapat natin mg move on. JUNE MAR FAJARDO
Whilst we accept our responsibility for our role in last night’s incident, what we don’t accept is the action whereby fans and officials actually get involved in the fray. We find that absolutely unacceptable. ANTHONY MOORE
Chief Executive, Basketball Australia
The lightest (sanction), a reprimand. The harshest is outright suspension for a number of games for players or whoever participated. Depende na sa Fiba. What’s best to do now is for us to wait for the decisions made by Fiba based on what they know and from whatever they come up with, then we can decide how to act accordingly. BUTCH ANTONIO
SBP