League Takes Action Against Indonesia Warriors, Bangkok Cobras

Sandy Pramuji

The Asean Basketball League penalized the Indonesia Warriors and the Bangkok Cobras following the Thai team’s walkout of a game in Bandung on Saturday.

The ABL announced on its Web site on Tuesday that both squads would be fined an undisclosed amount.

Cobras coach Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, father of NBA star Kobe Bryant, was also fined and suspended one game for instigating the forfeit by instructing his players to leave the court.

Jai Reyes, the Cobras’ leading scorer, was fined too, for comments he made about the referees on his Twitter account.

The clubs have until today to appeal the sanctions.

Warriors officials confirmed the sanctions and said the club had been fined $3,000.

“The ABL told us by e-mail on Monday night,” the Warriors’ vice managing director, Rudolf Tulus, said on Tuesday. “We will file an appeal because we didn’t cause the problems in the match.”

The Cobras became the first team in the ABL to walk out of a game. Bryant ordered his players off the court after Cobras guard  Marvin Cruz, the team’s second leading scorer, was ejected with five fouls with less than two minutes remaining and the team down 74-67.

The Warriors were subsequently declared the winners.

Tensions were high throughout the game. Players scuffled more than once, and home fans threw objects, including a bottle, at the Cobras’ bench.

“It happened during halftime, but it was because a Cobras player came to our bench and started trash talking,” Tulus said. “Referees didn’t stop him and our fans were angry.

“We’ve hosted lots of games in the local league and the ABL and that was the first time this kind of thing happened. If Cobras players didn’t provoke the fans, there wouldn’t have been a problem.”

The Warriors are in fourth place — good for the last playoff spot — in the eight-team league, with 14 points in the standings and a 7-7 record. The Cobras are in fifth place with 13 points and a 5-8 record.

The game was the Warriors’ third straight win.