An international basketball match turned into a farcical mass brawl, which saw 13 players ejected from the game.
It's impossible to catalogue all the blows landed in the World Cup qualifier between Australia and Philippines, but flying elbows, kicks and punches were delivered by both sides.
There was even a chair thrown too.
Oh my god. He threw a chair! #Boomers pic.twitter.com/9T5bs5VLou
— Ricky Mangidis (@rickm18) July 2, 2018
The Philippines, trailing 79-48, kicked things off when RR Pogoy roughly shoved Australia’s Nathan Sobey to the ground. Daniel Kickert replied with an elbow to Pogoy's face.
Then, all hell broke loose.
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
Replay of what happened between the Philippines and Australia with 4:01 left in the 3rd quarter #fiba #gilas #Boomers #GilasPilipinas #australia pic.twitter.com/PI7i76qmoZ
— Walther Kui (@waltherkui) July 2, 2018
This is effing nuts. World Cup qualifiers v Philippines. Full blown brawl pic.twitter.com/14vu4tSXFy
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) July 2, 2018
Cannot believe what I just seen! Australia and Philippines fighting in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. Never seen anything like this in Basketball. Aussie players assaulted. #FIBAWorldCup #Boomers pic.twitter.com/EeJDjahFWN
— Joshua James (@ardemj) July 2, 2018
HUGE BRAWL IN THE AUSTRALIA PHILIPPINES BASKETBALL GAME
Thirteen players ejected including Thon Maker 😱😱😱 pic.twitter.com/SvpStnnJ2O
— The Sports Quotient (@SportsQuotient) July 2, 2018
After all that, nine Philippines players were ejected (as well as four Aussies), leaving only three eligible to remain on court for the Manilla hosts.
They forfeited the game soon after (behind 89-53) as two more players were fouled out before the end of the third-quarter.
Former world champion boxer Manny Pacquiao even tweeted about the game.
🏀 🥊
— Manny Pacquiao (@mannypacquiao) July 2, 2018
OFFICIAL RESULT:
Philippines: Punches thrown = 35 Landed 29
Australia: Punches thrown = 10 Landed = 3Philippines won via unanimous decision
✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼 Chill na guys!
— Jens Knuttel (@jensdknuttel) July 2, 2018
FIBA, basketball's governing body, said: "Following the incident that occured in the third quarter of the Philippines-Australia game on Monday in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers, FIBA will now open disciplinary proceedings against both teams.
"The decision(s) will be communicated in the coming days."
Anthony Moore, the Chief Executive of Basketball Australia, said: "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.
"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.”
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