Australian guard Jason Cadee says the Boomers are determined to restore the nation’s respected basketball reputation

AUSTRALIAN guard Jason Cadee says the Boomers are determined to restore the nation’s respected basketball reputation following Monday’s ugly brawl against the Philippines.

WE’RE not thugs.

That’s the message from Australian guard Jason Cadee, who says the Boomers are determined to restore the nation’s respected basketball reputation following Monday’s ugly brawl against the Philippines.

Cadee arrived home to Sydney on Wednesday still coming to terms with the violent melee that marred Australia’s World Cup qualifier in Manila.

BOOMERS BRAWL: Tension started before the game

The shocking footage of the brawl has gone global and attracted widespread condemnation.

Australian players have taken responsibility for their role in the fight, which will attract heavy sanctions from FIBA in the coming days, but Cadee says the Boomers don’t want to be branded as hooligans.

“Going forward I know our playing group, we’re not about that (fighting),” Cadee told The Daily Telegraph.

Boomers star Jason Cadee arrives back in Sydney from the Philippines.

“Whether people want to say we are or whatever, but we are definitely not.

“It’s not who we are and we just want to be able to go to places and play basketball and enjoy the experience of different countries and sporting environments.

“We haven’t been anywhere for that kind of (brawl) stuff. We’ve just been at places to win games.”

Cadee was on the court when the brawl broke out, but thankfully he escaped unscathed.

He recalls being “scared” when Philippine players, staff and fans entered the court throwing punches and chairs.

Boomers star Daniel Kickert elbows Roger Pogoy of the Philippines.

“They weren’t trying to fight people one-on-one,” said the former Sydney King, who joined the Brisbane Bullets over the off-season.

“They were just trying to run in and king hit people.

“It was scary and sickening what was happening, but I remember my instinct was just to find gold jerseys and make sure everyone was OK.

Part of the ugly brawl between Australian and Philippines players.

“When we started this trip, this wasn’t what we envisaged to happen.

“If you had of told me two weeks ago we were going to go to the Philippines and come out with this whole thing, I would have said you were off your head.

“Thankfully we managed to get out of there, which was good.”

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Originally published as Australian guard Jason Cadee says the Boomers are determined to restore the nation’s respected basketball reputation