Australia expresses 'deep regret' for melee with Gilas

Basketball Australia said it "deeply regrets" its national team's participation in a brawl against the Philippines in a FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifying match on Monday at Philippine Arena.

“We are extremely disappointed with what happened and our role in it," it said in a statement.

“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.”

Nine Gilas Pilipinas players and four Boomers were thrown out of the game after the third quarter bench-clearing brawl.

The melee began at the 4:01 mark of the third quarter with Australia, 79-48, in control when Gilas Pilipinas guard Roger Pogoy and Boomers wingman Chris Goulding got tangled up on a drive.

Australia big man Daniel Kickert responded with a forearm on Pogoy, after which Jayson Castro hit Kickert.

All hell broke loose after that, with both teams getting in on the action.

Nine Gilas players were ejected along with four Boomers.

World basketball governing body FIBA has opened disciplinary proceedings against the two squads. —JST, GMA News