FOSHAN, China – Serbia head coach Sasha Djordjevic felt Paul Lee had intention to hurt following his unsportsmanlike foul on Marko Guduric in Gilas Pilipinas’ 67-126 loss in the FIBA World Cup here on Monday, September 2.

Lee was whistled for the infraction with 7 minutes left in the final quarter as he bumped and decked Guduric – an incident that Djordjevic said left a bad taste in his mouth despite Serbia advancing to the last 16 after staying spotless in Group D at 2-0.

“I don’t like dirty players. I don’t like when you have intention… it seemed to me like intention to hurt a player,” Djordjevic said during the post-game presser. 

Djordjevic added players can be physical without having to resort to such tactics. 

“I don’t want my players to be hurt the second of the third game. That’s why I’m so worried and you have to stop that. You have to play fair and square,” Djordjevic said. 

“Play physical but tough and fair play. That’s what I ask from my players and that’s what I ask from the opponents because this is not the way to treat the opponent.”

But Gilas Pilipinas tactician Yeng Guiao believed otherwise, downplaying the foul to a mere basketball play. 

“It was a bump. I guess if you really wanted to hurt somebody, that’s not the only thing you can do,” Guiao told Filipino reporters. (READ: Guiao takes swipe at FIBA officiating: ‘Worse than PBA refs’)

Serbia coach Sasha Djordjevic claims Paul Lee had intention to hurt after his unsportsmanlike foul on Marko Guduric.

Gilas Pilipinas coach Yeng Guiao thinks otherwise. He also takes a swipe at the FIBA officiating. #FIBAWC | @dioquinodelfin pic.twitter.com/bMTURzfSju

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) September 2, 2019

Serbia shoots for the leadership in Group D against fellow unbeaten team Italy, while the Philippines seeks to wrap up the group stage with its first victory against winless Angola on Wednesday, September 4. – Rappler.com