A first-round match-up between the Australian and Filipino national teams in this year's FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers has come to a nasty end.
Roughly halfway through the third quarter, a Filipino offensive foul led to an all out brawl on the floor. Several players from both sides were involved in the scuffle, including Milwaukee Bucks big man Thon Maker and former NBA player Andray Blatche.
With his team leading by more than 30 points in the third (79-48), Australia's Chris Goulding was elbowed in the face, then later hit with a shoulder to his midsection. Goulding's Aussie teammate, Daniel Kickert, reacted fairly quickly, throwing an elbow at the Philippines’ Roger Pogoy. An all-out battle ensued, with both benches rushing into the fray. There was even a scene where an Aussie player was pinned to the ground, according to a report from Olgun Yuluc of FOX Sports Australia.
Both benches were cleared, with the entire Filipino team seemingly getting involved in the brawl, while the likes of Thon Maker and Kickert may be reprimanded for their respective roles in the altercation.
One of the more egregious moments was when a chair was thrown at Australia’s Nathan Sobey, before the guard was pinned on the ground and punched by multiple members of the Filipino team.
The game was halted for officials to review the chaos, and some thought it might be terminated because of the fight. Nine players from Gilas Pilipinas and four from the Boomers were ejected from the game. In the end, the Australian team carried the day, 89-53.
Let's take a look at some of the footage from this nasty scene. In the first video, you'll see an overview of the altercation.
JUST IN: Fight breaks out in the third quarter of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers between Gilas and Australia. pic.twitter.com/92aib5jdLS
— Mav Gonzales (@mavgonzales) July 2, 2018
Angle number two:
Thon Maker trying to drop kick opponents during a basketball brawl between Australia and Philippines!
(Via @ClarkyHeraldSun) pic.twitter.com/WX4vRvkGBN
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 2, 2018
And finally, a close-up shot of Thon Maker's flying knee attempts:
Thon Maker olaylı maçta bir şeyler deniyor. pic.twitter.com/S6zBQH803P
— Owl Press (@owlpressorg) July 2, 2018
Australian hoops star Andrew Bogut chimed in with his own reaction to the mess that unfolded.
https://twitter.com/andrewbogut/status/1013767117445853184
https://twitter.com/andrewbogut/status/1013767117445853184
Most hoops fans have seen scuffles on the court before, but this one was pretty bad. Let's see what sort of discipline is handed down.
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