Shocking moment Australian basketballer Chris Goulding is pummelled by ten Filipino players staff

Australian basketball player Chris Goulding was viciously bashed by thuggish Filipino players and officials who then posed for selfies after the wild brawl.

The World Cup qualifier between Australia and the Philippines erupted into violent chaos in the third quarter, with the whole Filipino team rushing to join the fracas.

Goulding found himself at the bottom of a pile-on after being pushed to the ground and swarmed before being pummelled by ten opposition players and staff.

Despite the shocking level of violence on display Filipino players posed for selfies after the game, smiling with their teammates just minutes after the brawl ended.   

 

The World Cup qualifier between Australia and the Philippines erupted into violent chaos in the third quarter, with the whole Filipino team rushing to join the fracas (pictured)

Australian basketball player Chris Goulding was viciously bashed by thuggish Filipino players and officials who then posed for selfies after the wild brawl (pictured)

Goulding found himself at the bottom of a pile-on after being pushed to the ground and swarmed before being pummelled by ten opposition players and staff

The brawl began when Australian guard Goulding was pushed to the ground, and teammate Daniel Kickert retaliated by elbowing Roger Ray Pogoy in the face

Despite the shocking level of violence on display Filipino players posed for selfies after the game, smiling with their teammates just minutes after the brawl ended

The brawl began when Boomers guard Goulding was pushed to the ground, and teammate Daniel Kickert retaliated by elbowing Roger Ray Pogoy in the face.

Milwaukee Bucks NBA star Thon Maker then launched a flying knee at a group of opposing players, while Philippines centre Andray Blatche blindsided an Australian player with a punch to the back of the head.

Players and management could be seen wrestling and strangling each other courtside – with Australia’s Nathan Sobey having a chair thrown at his head before he was pinned down on the ground. 

Goulding’s agent, Daniel Moldovan, said his client was okay but expressed disgust at the involvement of non-players in the brawl. 

‘He [Goulding] is a little bit bruised and battered but he is okay,’ Mr Moldovan told SEN Breakfast.

‘He is a tough one, which is no surprise to any of us. He is shocked and appalled, as we all are, at what took place.

Goulding’s agent, Daniel Moldovan, said his client was okay but expressed disgust at the involvement of non-players in the brawl

Basketball Australia CEO Anthony Moore said the players and coaches feared for their safety and questioned why court security was unable to stop the melee

The brawl began when Goulding was pushed to the ground and Daniel Kickert retaliated by elbowing Roger Ray Pogoy in the face (pictured)

Despite the shocking brawl Filipino players and staff posed for selfies after the game

‘What took place from those who flew off the bench, out of sight and out of mind, the team officials, managers, equipment guys, water boys, whoever they were, going in in the fashion that they did, that’s where I take serious offence to what took place.’ 

Basketball Australia CEO Anthony Moore said the players and coaches feared for their safety and questioned why court security was unable to stop the melee.

Philippines coach Vincent ‘Chot’ Reyes defended his players, and blamed Daniel Kickert for provoking the Gilas.

‘It’s absolutely unacceptable but the reality is Kickert was hitting our players during the warm-ups,’ Reyes said.  

Players and management could be seen wrestling and strangling each other courtside

Four Australian and nine Filipino players were ejected after the fight, and referees had to be flanked by police during a review of the brawl

Some observers questioned why the Australian coach did not let his players join the brawl

‘He hit Carl Bryan Cruz, he hit Matthew Wright, Pogoy and he hit Calvin Abueva during the warm-ups.’

‘One thing they have to know about this team is we are not going to back down, we already restrained the players before the game… it’s hard to restrain them.’  

Four Australian and nine Filipino players were ejected after the fight, and referees had to be flanked by police during a review of the brawl.

A Filipino official at the arena asked those present to ‘show respect to our friends of Australia’. 

Players from the Philippines and Australia were involved in a brutal on-court brawl on Monday

Some witnesses questioned why the Australian coach kept his players on the bench while the opposition team were all involved

‘(We) want to appeal to everybody to please settle down,’ the game’s announcer said. ‘We didn’t want (that to happen). We will wait for referee’s decision, but please I would like us to respect the game.’

The game eventually continued with just three Philippines players allowed on the court. 

The home team was eventually forced to forfeit in a farcical ending to the Monday night game at the Philippine Arena in the province of Bulacan, north of Manila.

Some witnesses questioned why the Australian coach kept his players on the bench while the opposition team were all involved.

‘Nathan Sobey and Chris Goulding should be livid at their coach for holding their bench back after seeing the other bench clear,’ said one observer. 

Basketball fans criticised the actions of both teams after the fight. NBA champion Andrew Bogut said the fracas was an ‘absolute disgrace’ and ‘disgusting’

Nathan Sobey (pictured, centre) of Australia reacts after getting into a brawl with players from the Philippines

‘The coach made a terrible read of the situation which led to them getting overwhelmed and pummeled.

Basketball fans criticised the actions of both teams after the fight. NBA champion Andrew Bogut said the fracas was an ‘absolute disgrace’ and ‘disgusting’. 

Commentator Shane Heal said the call to continue the game was ‘laughable’. 

Basketball Australia chief executive Anthony Moore apologised to fans after the game.

‘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,’ Moore 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.’ 

Some witnesses questioned why the Australian coach kept his players on the bench while the opposition team were all involved

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