Romeo blasts players who called Gilas ’embarassing’: Why don’t you convert to Australian

Gilas players while awaiting the decision of the referees after the brawl. photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Terrence Romeo went off on fellow players who criticized Gilas Pilipinas after figuring in a nasty brawl with the Australian national team in the Fiba World Cup Qualifiers Monday night.

Romeo lashed out on Twitter for the “embarrassing” comments Gilas received in the aftermath of the melee that quickly gained international attention and even drew comparisons to the infamous “Malice at the Palace” in 2004.

Dun sa mga kapwa namin players na nag sasabing embarassing kami wala kaming paki alam sa inyo . Kami mag kaka teammate sa loob kailangan namin mag tulungan. Hindi namin pwede pabayaan yung isat isa. Kung embarassing kami sa mata niyo bat di kayo mag convert ng australian.

— Terrence Romeo (@tbvromeo) July 2, 2018

(To our fellow players who said we were embarrassing, we don’t care about you. We teammates inside the court need to help each other. We cannot let each other go. If we’re embarrassing in your eyes, why don’t you convert to Australian?)

The 26-year-old guard said Gilas just stood up for its teammate Roger Pogoy, who was decked by Australia’s Daniel Kickert with a forearm to the face.

Kahit anong sabihin niyo nag lalaro kami para sa isat isa para sa kapwa natin pilipino higit sa lahat para sa bayan. Hindi niyo alam ang sacrifice namin Kung para sainyo mali tulungan namin yung kakampi namin sinasaktan problema niyo na yun basta kami walang iwanan tapos!!!

— Terrence Romeo (@tbvromeo) July 2, 2018

“No matter what you say, we’re playing for each other, for our Fellow Filipinos and for the country. You don’t know our sacrifices. If you think defending our teammates who were hurt was wrong, that’s your problem. But what we’re not going to leave each other. The end.”

The video of the fight has been making rounds on social media and it’s as violent as they come with a fan even caught throwing a chair that hit Australian player Nathan Sobey.

A total of 13 players were ejected. Romeo was among the nine Gilas players tossed while four Aussies were thrown out including Kickert, whom head coach Chot Reyes blamed for triggering the brawl.

Several PBA players including Chris Ross, Sol Mercado and Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and even former Gilas captain Jimmy Alapag described the incident as “embarrassing.”

Embarassing…

— Jimmy Alapag (@JAlapag3) July 2, 2018

I’ll ALWAYS support my Gilas brothers, and I commend them for sticking up for one another 2nyt. And as NATIONAL athletes we also have an obligation to represent our country in the best way possible. Playing on the World Stage, in front of thousands at home…cont..

— Jimmy Alapag (@JAlapag3) July 2, 2018

and millions around the world, provides us an opportunity to showcase our competitive spirit and #PUSO through our talents/skills on the court. Learn and Be Better from this… #GilasPilipinas 🇵🇭❤

— Jimmy Alapag (@JAlapag3) July 2, 2018

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