A near-brawl towards the end of the Philippines vs Kuwait match. Photo from Fiba.com
CHANGSHA CITY, China – Andray Blatche, Gilas Pilipinas’ naturalized center, is an American as he could be.
But after that ugly incident that marred Team Philippines’ 110-64 rout of Kuwait in the Fiba Asia Championship on Friday night, Blatche is leading his band of Filipino brothers in watching each other’s backs.
READ: Gilas shreds Kuwait to finish 2-1 in Fiba Asia Group B
“In our huddle at midcourt after the game, Dray said we should all be together for breakfast, lunch and dinner, especially if (the) Kuwait (players) are there,” Ranidel De Ocampo said in Filipino in quoting Blatche after tensions between the two teams rose.
Kuwaiti guard Abdulaziz Alhamadi ended up with a busted kisser courtesy of a De Ocampo elbow with 48 seconds left, and Blatche knows just how to look after his teammates.
Alhamadi never got the chance to retaliate at De Ocampo, but tried to bully skipper Dondon Hontiveros at the players’ mess hall later that night.
“He (Alhamadi) told Dondon in a stern voice that his teammate (De Ocampo) better watch out,” Sonny Barrios, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director, narrated.
“But Dondon simply said: ‘Don’t worry, he (De Ocampo) can take care of himself.’”
Filipinos have never been one to be bullied around, as evidenced in that bloody victory over Russia in the Jones Cup.