Battered Boomers arrive home after Manila brawl, await FIBA sanctions
Boomers assistant coach Luc Longley has alleged Philippines coach Chot Reyes incited his players to act violently in their World Cup qualifier, blaming him for the ugly brawl that marred the game in Manila.
Three-time NBA champion Longley touched down in Brisbane early on Wednesday morning with Australian head coach Andrej Lemanis and didn't hold back in his assessment of the fight, saying it was the worst thing he'd ever seen on a basketball court.
"I do believe their coach, Chot Reyes incited them to come out and thug us. I think there's video evidence of that," Longley told reporters.
The battered and bruised Boomers team members landed in cities around the country on Wednesday morning, with guard Chris Goulding describing an "interesting 48 hours" after touching down in Melbourne.
Goulding, who arrived at 5.30am, was due to front media at the airport but declined to speak at length, saying he would talk more extensively later.
The players who landed in Melbourne cited lack of sleep and the emotional scars following the saga as the reasoning behind not fronting the media as planned. which saw them concerned for their safety following the all-in brawl which is still the subject of FIBA disciplinary proceedings.
Basketball Australia had originally advised Goulding would speak to the media but he was withdrawn, saying he would speak "at a better time".
“It has been an interesting 48 hours, my main priority is to get home, spend some time with my family, get a coffee and then get to bed.”
Vision from the incident showed Goulding on the floor at the bottom of the fracas, repeatedly punched and kicked.
Goulding's agent said on Tuesday he believed Longley might have saved his client's life, after the Australian assistant coach ran to intervene while as many as 12 players and officials attacked the Boomers guard.
The 29-year-old arrived at the airport with teammate Thon Maker, the Milwaukee Bucks centre who was removed from the game for his role in the brawl after he jumped into groups of players with high kicks, and Basketball Australia chairman Ned Coten.
Coten spoke briefly but offered no new information citing the ongoing disciplinary process and his own roles with FIBA.
Coten said the players and staff had not slept for between 36-48 hours due to concerns over their safety and the travel home from Manila.
“Basketball Australia accepts a level of responsibility for the things that happened as do the players,” Coten said.
“What is not acceptable is the situation where you have officials and others in the field of play which caused the scenes you saw on footage.
“When activities such as that are happening it is very difficult and won’t be tolerated by Basketball Australia.
“We are extremely supportive of our players, coaches and management - it was out of character for our players to act in the way they did but we are very proud of the way our group showed restraint during and in the aftermath of the incident.
“It was extremely difficult in the situation we are in, FIBA are undergoing a process and we are supportive of that and we accept their will be sanctions forthcoming.”
FIBA has not said when they will announce their findings from their disciplinary process.
with AAP