The FIBA Disciplinary Panel announced on Thursday, July 19, the suspension of ten Gilas Pilipinas players and two of their coaches following the brawl that sparked between the Philippine basketball team and the Australia Boomers.
In a statement, FIBA announced that the following Gilas Pilipinas players will be suspended from playing in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers for unsportsmanlike behavior:
– Calvin Abueva (6 games, Abueva’s unsportsmanlike behavior in prior FIBA competition games were also considered)
– Roger Pogoy, Carl Cruz and Jio Jalalon (5 games each);
– Terence Romeo, Jayson Castro William, Andray Blatche and Jeth Rosario (3 games each);
– Japeth Aguilar and Matthew Wright (1 game each)
Two members of the coaching staff will also be suspended.
– Assistant Coach Joseph Uichico (3 games)
– Head Coach Vincent ‘Chot’ Reyes (1 game)
Aside from the suspension, Reyes will also pay a fine of CHF 10,000 (around Php535,000) for inciting unsportsmanlike behavior.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) will also pay a disciplinary fine of CHF 250,000 (about Php13,386,776.05) for “unsportsmanlike behaviour of its delegation members and of its public.” SBP was also fined for failure to organize the game when the brawl happened.
On the Boomers’ bench, the following players will also be suspended.
– Daniel Kickert (5 games)
– Thon Maker (3 games)
– Chris Goulding (1 game)
Australia’s team will also pay a fine of CHF 100,000 (around Php5346640) for its players’ unsportsmanlike behaviour, along with “abusing and/or tampering of equipment.”
How it happened
The FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers game between the two teams became physical during the third quarter of the game when a brawl broke out between the opposing players.
In one of the plays during the 4:01 mark of the third quarter, as Gilas center June Mar Fajardo pushes to go near the basket, RR Pogoy shoved Australia’s Christopher Goulding, who fell to the ground.
Goulding’s teammate Daniel Kickert decked Pogoy. Pogoy’s teammate Jason Castro, then landed a punch on Kickert.
The series of physical exchanges only sparked a bigger brawl with other Gilas players Andray Blatche, Calvin Abueva, Terrence Romeo, Carl Bryan Cruz, and Matthew Wright also seen throwing punches against their Australian parallels, who also threw punches and kicks against the Gilas players.
The brawl resulted in the disqualification of 9 Gilas players and 4 Boomers, and a loss for the Gilas Pilipinas, 89-53.
NOTE: Photo featured in the article was taken by Tiebreaker Times.
