BOCAUE, Bulacan -- In a fight-marred game that saw 13 players ejected, the Australian men's basketball team won by default over the Philippine team, 89-53, in the third window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Monday at the Philippine Arena.
At the four-minute mark of the third quarter, a free-for-all commotion ensued that resulted to four Australians - Christopher Goulding, Thon Maker, Nathan Sobey, and Daniel Kickert - getting ejected.
Nine players from Gilas were also slapped with disqualifying fouls, namely Terrence Romeo, Carl Bryan Cruz, Jayson Castro, Calvin Abueva, Roger Pogoy, Troy Rosario, Japeth Aguilar, Matthew Wright, and Andray Blatche.
Only June Mar Fajardo, Gabe Norwood, and Baser Amer were left to play for the Philippines. Fajardo and Norwood eventually fouled out, which gave the Boomers an automatic win with 1:57 still left in the third frame.
With this victory, the Boomers emerged on top of Group B sporting a 5-1 record at the end of the first round. Gilas, on the other hand, finished in second place with four wins and two losses.
The Philippines opened the second half with multiple errors, allowing the Australians to continuously pull away, mounting a 79-48 cushion prior to the brawl. Goulding top-scored for the Boomers with 20 points on 4-of-5 shooting from deep, while Kickert added 12 markers.
Blatche and Fajardo finished with 12 and ten points for Gilas, respectively.
THE SCORES
AUSTRALIA 89 - Goulding 20, Kickert 12, Dellavedova 9, Brandt 8, Maker 8, Kay 7, Lisch 7, Sobey 7, Gliddon 6, Drmic 5, Cadee 0, McCarron 0.
PHILIPPINES 53 - Blatche 12, Fajardo 10, Castro 8, Aguilar 6, Romeo 6, Norwood 4, Pogoy 4, Amer 3, Abueva 0, Rosario 0, Wright 0.
Quarters: 23-18, 52-37, 89-53.