Though Monday evening produced one of the darkest moments in Philippine basketball history, there were individuals who rose up. Players who did not fall into a trap.
During Gilas Pilipinas’ home game against the Australian Boomers, nine on-duty players, two pool players, and an official figured in a melee with four Australian players.
But there were four players who were able to control their emotions: June Mar Fajardo, Gabe Norwood, Baser Amer, and Gilas cadet Troy Rike.
Fajardo was on the floor when Daniel Kickert clocked Roger Pogoy with a sharp elbow to his neck. Instead of retaliating, the 6-foot-10 big man decided otherwise, and removed himself from ground zero.
Norwood, on the other hand, tried to stop his teammates while being in disbelief at what was happening. He tried to restrain his teammates from entering the court but could not contain them.
Then there was the last Gilas player standing, Amer.
Amer stood silently on the sidelines as the events unfolded.
“Si Amer, si Gabe, at si June Mar, they shared the same emotions, the same anger sa kayabangan nung mga Australians. They exercised a high level of self restraint. It was the highest level of self-discipline,” beamed Bounty Agro Ventures Inc. president Ronald Mascariñas.
“I would sincerely say na I admire you for that. I hope that we learn from them. Kahit papaano, may tatlong members of the team who were able to control their emotions and finish the game for the country.”
Rike, on the other hand, stopped some of the players of Gilas and fans who tried to mob a fallen Chris Goulding.
“I admire Troy Rike. Rike saved our country last night,” added Mascariñas. “Kung hindi sa action ni Troy Rike, basag yung ulo nung nakahiga na yun. By protecting this person, nakita niya yung repercussion[s].
“Even with his youth, he saw things beyond that moment.”
These are the heroes who were overshadowed by that dark moment that will be hard to forget.
