EXACTLY two years ago today, a brawl erupted in a Fiba World Cup qualifier between Gilas Pilipinas and Australia's Boomers at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan - a free-for-all so bad that it landed in sports pages around the world and led to penalties unprecedented in the history of world basketball.
No less than 13 players, including 10 from the home side, were handed suspensions ranging from six games to one. Gilas coach Chot Reyes and assistant Jong Uichico were also handed bans; the two associations were penalized while the Philippines was put on probation that won't end until next year.
Two years later, a lot of the players and coaches from both sides have moved on, but there were those who bore the brunt of the fallout, some worse than others.
We've given you an update on how the four main protagonists from the Boomers side are doing. Now we take a look at some of those involved in the Gilas side.
Chot Reyes
Reyes had no doubt the most success by any national coach since the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) wrested control from the Basketball Association of the Philippines, leading Gilas to a runner-up finish in the 2013 Fiba Asia Championship and a historic stint at the 2014 Fiba World Cup in Seville, Spain.
The five-time PBA Coach of the Year was also having a fine run after regaining the Gilas position from Tab Baldwin in time for the 2019 World Cup qualifiers, but the game against the Boomers turned out to be the last game he ever coached. Until now.
Coming under fire for fiery words during a timeout that both Fiba and critics claimed 'incited unsportsmanlike behavior' from his players, Reyes was handed a one-match ban and fined 10,000 Swiss francs. He also never returned to the position at the end of the suspension, his position taken over by Yeng Guiao.
Months later, he was also out as head of TV5, the television arm of the MVP group.
These days, Reyes remains in demand as a motivational speaker and tends to some family businesses.
Calvin Abueva
'The Beast' wasn't exactly a central figure in the brawl - he was a target of a Thon Maker flying kick early in the fracas. But he got the longest suspension of six games because of 'prior unsportsmanlike behavior,' according to Fiba.
Abueva found himself in more trouble soon after. Traded by Alaska to Phoenix, the former Rookie of the Year was accused of lewd behavior by the girlfriend of Ray Parks then figured in a dust-up with TNT import Terrence Jones that he ended with a clothesline foul on the former NBA player.
His life unravelled after he was suspended indefinitely by the PBA. Abueva had a very public spat with his wife that led to separation. Then came revelations that he played in a ligang labas' while under suspension.
Thankfully, the controversial forward looks like he's getting his act together after reconciling with his wife Sam. Problem is, there is no sign that his PBA ban is going to be lifted anytime soon.
Jong Uichico
Regret was written all over the face of the usually mild-mannered Gilas assistant coach at the end of the melee, as soon as he realized the repercussion of what he had done in a fit of anger.
Uichico's worst fears came true when he was suspended for three games for joining the mob that ganged up on Chris Goulding under the Philippine basket. He remained connected to the SBP as head of its coaches commission, but for a while it looked like his days with the national team were over.
Then came a surprise call-up by Tim Cone to be part of his Gilas coaching staff for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. Uichico was back where he belongs.
Jio Jalalon
To this day, Jalalon hasn't opened up publicly about his role in the brawl, which no one could've known until he was caught by a photographer landing a sucker punch on Australia guard Nathan Sobey. Except for a brief apology relayed through the SBP, Jalalon has said nothing about the incident.
Even after serving out a five-game suspension, the Magnolia guard never received another Gilas call-up.
June Mar Fajardo
Fajardo is, of course, one of the few exceptions. He was one of only four Gilas players - the others were Gabe Norwood, Baser Amer, and Allein Maliksi - who didn't take part in the brawl. The gentle giant later earned praise for keeping his cool in the most trying circumstances.
The 6-10 Cebuano has since won two more MVP awards to bring his record haul to six trophies, although he had to receive the last one in a mobility bike after fracturing his right tibia in a preseason practice.
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