Scuffle mars Qatar-NLEX ‘friendly’

The Qatar national team arrived in Manila a few days ago to play a series of tune-up games with PBA teams, in preparation for the Fiba Asia Men’s Championship that starts Sept. 23 in China.

The Qataris have so far played only half  a game, against the NLEX Road Warriors, which was cut short before it erupted into a free-for all.

* * *

A day before the game, the Qatar team had sent word to NLEX , requesting that the play not be physical.

The cagers from Qatar are big and tall, but they requested for a finesse type of game.

NLEX head coach Boyet Fernandez was quick to comply. He instructed the Road Warriors to exercise maximum tolerance in this particular game.

“And we did. At least that was our mind-set. However, right from the moment the opponents entered the court, they were already anxious and paranoid,” a Road Warrior said.

“They complained at the slightest contact, which were part of the game and could not be avoided.”

* * *

To the Road Warriors’ surprise, it was the Qataris who started playing not only physical but rough early in the game.

“There was this No. 9 player, probably the officially designated enforcer, who went around elbowing the Road Warriors in the faces, even during dead ball situations.  Among his victims were Wynne Arboleda, Eric Camson and rookie Glenn Khobuntin, who were all caught by surprise.

After all, it was the Qataris who requested a finesse game.

A local scribe who covered the tune-up game at the West Greenhills Gym last Friday reported Camson was also hit by another Qatari who he played against in a previous three-on-three competition.

“The guy is another dirty player,” said the scribe as he described the scenario where Enrico Villanueva, approached the Qatari to warn him about his physical play.

The player tried to put one over Villanueva with an elbow.

“But Rico parried the elbow. He was quicker. Lest the game end in a full-blown free-for-all, both camps decided to discontinue the match, with still a few minutes left before the end of the second quarter.

Qatar has four more games to play here in Manila against different PBA teams.