Australia-Philippines basketball brawl: decal removal ‘not the smartest’

Basketball Australia CEO admits it wasn’t the best move by team officials to remove floor decals, angering locals | WATCH

Basketball CEO Anthony Moore admits it “wasn’t the smartest move” by team officials to remove floor decals that they believed had posed a threat to player safety.

Moore confirmed the Boomers may have unwittingly riled the hosts by tearing up advertising boards that players had slipped on the day before the game, but rejected claims from Philippines coach Chot Reyes that the Australians sparked tensions by “hitting” opponents during the warm-up before their World Cup qualifier.

Aussie team ripping our/Fiba logos on the court of Phil Arena w/o asking permission. We will not back down. Those stickers go in. Regardless. pic.twitter.com/LMwyiBNtG4

— Manny V. Pangilinan (@iamMVP) July 1, 2018

Australian basketball great Shane Heal, who was commentating for Fox Sports, told Channel 7 the actions were taken to be “disrespectful” by the Philippines.

Moore said Basketball Australia later apologised to the Philippines Basketball Association.

“We had a team shootaround the day before, floor decals are always something that you look at,” he said.

“We trained, had numerous players fall and fall heavily and our team management undertook a course of action that we actually apologised for. We ripped the decals up.

“That wasn’t the smartest move we made.

“There’s no doubt that heightened the issue, but that was more from an administrator, federation-to-federation part as opposed to players.”

Reyes said the floor decals were “FIBA approved”, and saw the removal as a disrespectful act.

“Besides, we’ve played in other venues (with) similar decals. Secondly, IF, & that’s a big IF, it did indeed make the floor slippery, they had no right to just rip the decals and deface OUR floor. There were SBP/FIBA officials in venue,” he tweeted.

Madulas daw, e that’s FIBA approved. Besides,we’ve played in other venues w similar decals. Secondly, IF, & that’s a big IF, it did indeed make the floor slippery, they had no right to just rip the decals and deface OUR floor. There were SBP/FIBA officials in venue #basicdecency https://t.co/ddsJV3AJuD

— Chot Reyes (@coachot) July 1, 2018

Maker’s desire to protect

Boomers power forward Thon Maker says he is “deeply disappointed” by his involvement in the brawl that erupted during Australia’s basketball World Cup qualifier against the Philippines.

Maker, who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA, said he hoped the incident would spark a greater discussion regarding player safety.

“Being from a war-torn country, basketball for me has always been a means to bring people together,” Maker said in a tweet.

pic.twitter.com/QMX3J5u6fT

— Thon Maker â„¢ (@ThonMaker14) July 3, 2018

“I feel a great responsibility as an NBA player to carry myself in a way that promotes peace and unity.

“I take responsibility for my actions knowing they were a result of my desire to protect my teammates and myself.

“My hope is that this experience provides a springboard for discussion regarding the security surrounding these games.”

Philippines coach accuses Kickert of striking during warm-up

Earlier, Reyes accused the Boomers’ Daniel Kickert of striking opposition players in the warm-up before unleashing with a flying elbow at the beginning of the wild all-in brawl that has earned the condemnation of Basketball Australia boss Anthony Moore.

Australia led 79-48 in the World Cup qualifying match when a pair of fouls, one from Philippines player Roger Pogoy on Chris Goulding, followed by the brutal retaliation from Kickert, prompted the madness.

A total of 13 players were ejected — nine from the Philippines along with Australia’s Goulding, Kickert, Thon Maker and Nathan Sobey — before a farcical third-quarter finish because the hosts had only one player left.

Reyes has told reporters: “I understand the disappointment. I understand that some are embarrassed. But you don’t know what happened. You have to be in the team, you have to be in our circle to really understand what went down. The brawl is absolutely unacceptable but the reality is Kickert was hitting our players during the warm-ups.

What a disgrace! Phillipines should be expelled from basketball. Safety concerns for Australian side. #basketball #fiba #boomers pic.twitter.com/QoC8ujiP4h

— Brent Dawkins (@DawkinsBrent) July 2, 2018

“He hit Carl Bryan Cruz, he hit Matthew Wright, he hit Pogoy and he hit Calvin Abueva during the warm ups. The foul of Pogoy on Goulding was called an offensive foul, it was a basketball play, but he was the one that came in and decked Pogoy for the fifth time. You cannot expect to do that to a team five times and not expect there to be retaliation. That’s what happened and unfortunately that’s what has triggered the entire brawl.”

Rays says: “It is what it is, but the one thing you have to know about this team is we’re not going to back down. We already restrained the players before the game … when Kickert did all of those things at the start, during the warm up we told them ‘we’re not going to punch him, focus on the game’. When he did that in the third quarter, it’s hard to restrain them anymore.”

However, the Basketball Australia chief categorically disputed those claims. Speaking at a press conference this morning, Moore said it was “premature’ to discuss any possible sanctions while a FIBA investigation continues, but was definite when asked about Reyes’ comments.

“We absolutely refute that,” Moore said. “That is a conversation we had with team management. That is something that we absolutely don’t believe occurred and that will come out as part of the tribunal process that FIBA undertake.

“Our players are leaving later this afternoon to fly to various ports, so convening a tribunal for FIBA will be a little bit challenging and it is new territory.”

Moore also confirmed the team was always booked to leave following this game.

“These new qualifying windows, we land, we train, we play, we fly out,” Moore added. “We are not rushing out in an emergency sense. This is a pre-booked flight and what we are on.”

Basketball’s international governing body has opened disciplinary hearings against Australia and the Philippines after their World Cup 2019 Asian qualifier descended into chaos.

Boomers’ shameful basketbrawl

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The Boomers defeated the Philippines 89-53 to finish top of their qualifying group in Bulacan last night, but the match result was overshadowed by the ugly melee.

“FIBA will now open disciplinary proceedings against both teams. The decisions will be communicated in the coming days,” FIBA tweeted on Monday.

Fighting spilt off the court as the game at the Philippine Arena outside Manila descended into farce, with officials powerless to restore order.

Footage even showed a chair being thrown at an Australian player. Philippines media claimed the footage was of Peter Aguilar, the father of player Japeth, throwing the chair.

Oh my god. He threw a chair! #Boomers pic.twitter.com/9T5bs5VLou

— Ricky Mangidis (@rickm18) July 2, 2018

Local media reported that assistant Philippines coach Jong Uichico also dropped a chair on a fallen Boomer Chris Goulding before throwing a couple more punches.

Play was suspended for over 30 minutes while match officials attempted to review the incident. A total of 13 players were ejected — nine from the Philippines along with Australia’s Goulding, Kickert, Thon Maker and Nathan Sobey. The Philippines were left with only three eligible players but the match continued until two of their players deliberately fouled out to end the contest. Scheduled post-match press conferences for both teams were cancelled in the aftermath of the incident.

In a bizarre twist, the Philippines team later posed for a group selfie.

Moore apologised for the violence.

“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.” He added: “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.

Australia’s route to the World Cup won’t be any easier with regards to logistics, with Kazakhstan, Iraq and Iran possible opponents in the next stage of qualification.

“Iran we don’t go to. There is an expectation we go to Tehran, the Socceroos have done that,” Moore said. “We will work with DFAT and consular officials, we need to work through what those security arrangements are. Those windows are September, November and February. That is right around the corner for us.

“Last night’s incident certainly elevates our awareness to security and what we actually need around to protect our players.”

All eyes will now turn to FIBA who will assess the incident with the likely outcome of suspensions or other disciplinary actions to players from both countries.

With AAP

Some of the most disgraceful scenes I have ever seen in basketball #FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/5OtVzrrJRl

— John Casey (@JohnCasey2880) July 2, 2018