The extraordinary technique an Aussie referee has used to calm down an enraged player in professional sporting league

Spanish basketball player Izan Almansa is an imposing sight, standing almost seven feet tall despite being just 19, so an Australian referee has used a unique method to calm him down during a recent NBL match.

Almansa is playing for the Perth Wildcats as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program, which identifies young talent from around the globe and offers them a pathway to the NBA outside of the US college system.

The big man already has immense talent, and has claimed gold medals playing for Spain at the under-18 European Championships and 2023 under-19 World Cup,

However playing for the Wildcats against the Illawarra Hawks on Friday night, the teenager saw red after making contact with NBL veteran Todd Blanchfield in the shadows of halftime.

Before the two could come together for any argy bargy, referee Nico Fernandes was on the spot to diffuse the situation.

And to calm the young Spaniard down, Fernandes spoke to him in Spanish.

Perth Wildcats player Izan Almansa was not happy after being knocked to the floor by an opposing player

Referee Nico Fernandes managed to defuse the situation by speaking to Almansa in Spanish

It had an immediate effect, with Almansa turning on his heels and heading back to the team huddle rather than confronting Blanchfield any further.

‘Almansa is keen to react, the youngster,’ commentator Brad Rosen said.

‘Not shy to take on the veteran.

‘Spanish between the two, the referees,’ fellow commentator Lachie Reid said.  

‘That’s nice work, I’m not sure what they said,’  Rosen added.

In the end, the Hawks survived another big haul from red-hot Bryce Cotton to defeat the Wildcats 121-111 and consolidate second position on the NBL ladder.

Cotton, coming off his record-breaking 59-point haul against New Zealand, scored 40 points at Perth’s RAC Arena on Friday night – the fourth time he has reached the milestone in his stellar career – but the Hawks had more contributors when it mattered.

Adding injury to insult for the Wildcats, import Kristian Doolittle pulled up with a right groin injury inside the first minute and was unable to continue.

The teenage star was unable to lead his side to victory, with the Hawks over-running the WIldcats

Trey Kell led Illawarra with 26 points, while Wani Swaka Lo Buluk combined 17 points at 88 per cent with some stellar fourth-quarter defence on Cotton, who was restricted to just two layups in the last term after he had 36 on the board at three-quarter-time.

Sam Froling (17 points) and Darius Days (15 points, 11 rebounds) were active in the paint for the Hawks.

“To beat any team on the road you’ve got to do the one-percenters and the stuff that other teams and players don’t want to do,” Hawks coach Justin Tatum said.

“We had to find a way to make everything tough for Bryce – he’s an exceptional player.”