A basketball game between the Philippines and Australia was abandoned in Manila overnight after a horrific all-hands-on-deck brawl saw numerous players laid out on the court.
The fight occurred in the third quarter of the World Cup qualifier, when the Philippines’ Roger Ray Pogoy threw an elbow up at the Boomers’ Chris Goulding.
Australia’s Daniel Kickert lashed back at Pogoy, sending him to the floor. The retaliation cleared the Philippines’ bench, as players and coaching staff took to the fray.
The ensuing fight saw flying punches and thrown chairs aimed at Australian players, and a jumping tackle from Boomer Thon Maker attempting to protect teammate Nathan Sobey.
Here’s the crazy, violent brawl from the Australia-Philippines game. pic.twitter.com/hSpEyyjU7u
— Olgun Uluc (@OlgunUluc) July 2, 2018
13 players were ejected, including Australians Kickert, Goulding, Maker, and Sobey.
Stunningly, the game was continued roughly half an hour after the fracas, but the home side only managed to put three players on the court.
A string of fouls against the Philippines sent their remaining players off, ending the game before the fourth quarter. Technically, Australia walked away with a 89-53 win.
In a statement after the game, Basketball Australia confirmed all of the players involved are “safe and well.”
But Chief Executive of Basketball Australia Anthony Moore issued his own statement, saying “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.”
In his own comments on the disgraceful biff, Filipino coach Chot Reyes said Pogoy’s initial action was provoked by Kickert’s alleged pre-game provocations, including hitting Filipino players during warm ups.
“It is what it is, but the one thing you have to know about this team is we’re not going to back down,” Reyes said.
The International Basketball Federation is expected to deliver punishments to the offending players.
