Gilas' Mike Nieto asks fans to respect South Korean rivals: We respect them, BTS ARMY tayo

Gilas Pilipinas player Mike Nieto is asking fans who post 'below the belt remarks' against South Korean players to show respect instead.

Nieto took his call to Twitter on Sunday, hours after the national team defeated South Korea, 82-77, to sweep the group stage of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.

"Thanks for your support mga kababayan! But please no below the belt remarks to Korea!" said the Gilas forward.

Nieto said he respects the South Korean team and included a shout-out to their compatriots, global icon BTS.

"We respect them! [E]specially BTS! Army tayo!"

ARMY is the term for the fan group of BTS.

He also posted a photo of him and teammate Dwight Ramos with some members of the Korean national team.

Korea went 0-2 against the Philippines in the third window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers played in Clark.

Aside from fans posting comments against the Korean team, things became a little heated during the games, especially with Korea being a known 'rival' of the Philippine team.

Over the weekend, Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tab Baldwin and South Korea head coach Cho Sang-hyun had a little exchange of press conference comments after the latter said SJ Belangel's shot during the Philippines' win against South Korea last Wednesday was a 'lucky shot.'

Cho, however, said he does not see the Philippine team as a rival.

Instead, he said he finds "very useful things after playing against (the) Philippines so that's what I'm taking on my perspective on this game as well."

—Justin Kenneth Carandang/JMB, GMA News