Chooks charity

One good thing flew out of the melee between Australian and Filipino basketball players during the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifier match last Monday night at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

While Australian Chris Goulding was down on the floor behind the ring, Gilas player Troy Rike shielded him from the mob, preventing the former from sustaining serious injuries.

Chooks-to-Go official Ronald Mascariñas was touched by Rike’s selflessness and later rewarded him with a check for P100,000.

Rike decided to donate half of the money to a Philippine charity, World Vision, and the other half to an Australian charity, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.

Mascariñas was again moved by Rike’s gesture and matched the donation for both countries.

Hopefully, barangay basketball leagues won’t copy the free-for-all as a ruse to get Chooks’ sympathy and charity.