The Boomers have returned to Australia in the wake of the shocking brawl in their basketball international against the Philippines, with one of the players at the centre of the drama expressing regret for what happened.

The team has been at the centre of controversy ever since the brawl that erupted late in the third quarter of the World Cup qualifier against the Philippines on Monday night.

The game was delayed for half an hour while officials brought things under control and announced 13 players would be ejected — in farcical scenes, the match was eventually abandoned when the Philippines players fouled themselves out to leave the side with just one player.

Daniel Kickert was the player whose retaliatory elbow to the head of a Philippines player — following a hard foul on a Boomers teammate — kicked off the brawl.

Kickert, who is now waiting for a decision by FIBA on a response to the incident, which may involve him being suspended, expressed regret for what had happened in the match.



"It is a regrettable situation. I was put in a position where I obviously made an action which is regrettable, and unfortunate," Kickert said on his return to Brisbane on Wednesday morning.

"It's not good to put a stain on anything as a good trip for the boys and would have been a good win.

Sorry, this video has expired Boomers return from Philippines, Kickert expresses regret

"Obviously I think I've overstepped a little bit with my response to the escalation in the game, and I regret those things, but I'm going to let FIBA do everything they need to do to take the time, go through the process and come to the answers that they see fit and bring down the sanctions that they bring down."

The main focus of attention in Melbourne was guard Chris Goulding, who was caught up in the brawl.

Goulding and Nathan Sobey became isolated from the rest of the team and were surrounded by Filipino players and officials, appearing to come under attack with punches, kicks and even chairs thrown at them.

Former NBA star and current Boomers assistant coach Luc Longley physically separated the pair from those around them.

"I'm not going to put out anything publicly yet. It's been a long trip. I'm just going to get home and try to rest up. I'll speak to everyone at a better time if that's all good," Goulding said at the airport.

"It's been an interesting 48 hours. The main thing now is to get home and spend some time with my family, and as I said, I'll speak to everyone at a more appropriate time.

"I want to go get a Melbourne coffee and get into bed."

The Boomers' Daniel Kickert faces a possible suspension following his role in the brawl in the Philippines. ( AAP: Dan Peled )

Opposition coach incited thuggery, says Longley

An angry Longley levelled stinging criticism at the Philippines and in particular coach Chot Reyes, saying he told his players to resort to thuggery.

"I do believe that their coach, Chot Reyes, incited them to do that," Longley said.

"I'm most disturbed with their head coach. I think he was embarrassed by the way his team was playing.

"I think he was embarrassed by the kind of [position] they were in. I think he was embarrassed by the way they fought.

"He wouldn't look me in the eye at the end of the game when I shook his hand, and I think he was embarrassed and...if you listen to his diatribe after the game, I think it verifies it.

"I'm upset with him more than anybody, and to let his team take selfies, gangster selfies on the line after an event like that, that shows total lack of control or respect."

Chairman of Basketball Australia Ned Coten denied the players were hiding from the media.

"Chris and all of the players are very happy to speak. They have nothing to shy away from," he said.

"They accept that they have a level of responsibility. Again, as you can imagine, they literally have not slept in 36 hours.

"They are very happy to do that [talk]. They're just in a position where right at the moment, it's not the right time."

Coten was asked about the potential penalties, but refused to deal with specifics.

"What I would say is that the playing group showed a great level of discipline staying together during and after the incident.

Basketball Australia chairman Ned Coten said the players accepted they had a level of responsibility for the brawl. ( AAP: Daniel Pockett )

"I don't think that anyone is shying away from the fact that there's always a level of responsibility, but we're awaiting FIBA to go through the process that they need to go through and we'll await that process."

Basketball's governing body, FIBA, is conducting an investigation into the incident, with large fines and suspensions likely to be handed out.

"As you would have seen from the footage, Chris, in particular, was placed in a totally unacceptable situation," Coten said.

"And so, I think that he has dealt with that extremely well. He's just tired, you know. That's the situation. All of the players in the group are good.

"They've done a great deal of training. We have a risk management plan that's in place around these things and we're following that to the letter and so we're supporting Chris and the other players in that.

"Sport is something that brings people together. And FIBA is going through a process, which, again, is their right and responsibility to do, and we need to let that process play out."