There apparently was a nasty fight that broke out in the stands during the final stages of the third quarter of the Hoboken-High Tech boys’ basketball game last Friday night.
Apparently, there were four men who surrounded a former High Tech player and demanded a bag, which contained sneakers. When the former High Tech player refused to turn over the bag, the four men allegedly beat him, causing the ruckus in the gym.
Hoboken police were called to the scene and disbursed the fans from the gym, which allegedly triggered another altercation involving fans and police outside the gym and another incident out in the streets, involving a man getting beaten with a baseball bat.
Yes, all part of a high school basketball game. Lovely.
Now, first things first. Since the fight, Hoboken officials have done the right thing by rescheduling the remainder of the Red Wings’ home games from 7 p.m. to 4 p.m. It only makes sense, because it might keep some people who shouldn’t be there away from the games. Bravo on that decision.
However, was the incident handled properly? No way.
We cannot figure out who made the call to stop the game and send everyone home, with the game suspended and High Tech holding a five-point lead. No one we contacted can truly say who made the decision to suspend the game.
It might have been the officials refereeing the game. It might have been Hoboken athletic administration officials. It might have been the Hoboken police. No one is willing to step forward and say that they made the call.
Well, whoever it was, it was wrong, because it is setting a bad precedent, allowing what happens in the stands to determine the outcome of a basketball game.
The smart thing would have been to clear the gym of everyone, send the teams back into the locker rooms until everyone left, and then complete the game with no one in attendance.
It has happened several times before when fights broke out between players during the game. There was one incident a few years ago, when a fight broke out between Bayonne and Hudson Catholic and it involved players and spectators. The cops came, cleared out the gym and then the game was played to a completion.
But this way, this imbecilic attack in the stands has determined the outcome of the game and that simply cannot happen. The fight had nothing to do with either team. No players or coaches were involved. But yet, the players and the coaches of both teams are the ones who suffer, because now, there is an HCIAA Seglio league game – a crucial one at that – that has been played with no outcome.
Sure, the game will be resumed at some point. Who knows when? But that cannot happen. There are so many factors why it can’t. There’s no way to determine momentum swings or fatigue factors when you pick up a suspended game weeks after it was played.
Plus, who determines when that game gets resumed? One suggestion was to pick the game up on the day that Hoboken faces High Tech in North Bergen. That doesn’t make sense, because if Hoboken loses the suspended game, then the regularly scheduled game, the Red Wings would leave the gym that day with two losses. Wow, talk about a first.
A rule should be put in place right now that if an incident takes place during a game – and the participants are not involved in the incident – then the officials (police, administrators, what have you) should clear the gym of everyone not involved in the game and then resume the action.
Because now, you might have rabblerousing fans just show up at a game, cause a scene and change the entire outcome. It’s just not right…
Pound4Pound Productions, under the leadership of the Lynch brothers of Union City, namely John and Pat, have announced plans for their next professional boxing card at Schuetzen Park in North Bergen.
The card, entitled “Turn Up the Heat,” will feature at least eight bouts, including Bayonne’s Bobby Rooney fighting for the WBF light heavyweight title and Jersey City’s Patrick “Paddy Boy” Farrell finally making his professional debut. Union City’s Jason “Monstruo” Escalera, the up-and-coming star and the best produce manager in the pro boxing game, will also be a part of the card. The card will take place at Schuetzen Park on Thursday, Feb. 19 and kicks off at 6:30 p.m. For ticket information, call (201) 864-9566…
Hudson Catholic’s Jason Hendricks, the Hudson Reporter Most Valuable Player during the last football season, announced his intentions to attend the University of Pittsburgh on a scholarship.
It could be a local football bonanza at Pitt, because Hoboken’s two studs, Bernardo Nunez and Isaac Holmes, went on a recruiting trip to Pitt last weekend and were close to making their decisions known. Former St. Peter’s Prep standout Shariff Harris is already a football player at Pitt….
St. Peter’s Prep is clearly the best team in the area who doesn’t wear Friars across their chest. The Marauders, now ranked No. 11 in the state, have emerged as the clear favorites to secure a second straight HCIAA title and this time, they will not get the No. 8 seed and won’t sneak up on anyone…
Speaking of St. Anthony, the fabulous Friars should become very strong once three prominent players become eligible this week after sitting out 30 days due to the transfer rule.
Again, the way the new NJSIAA rule, which is supposed to force transfers to sit out an entire year if they change schools, is being circumvented throughout the state is simply amazing…
Apparently, all of the major NJSIAA indoor track meets that took place last year at the Jersey City Armory have been moved to a new facility in Toms River this year because the Armory doesn’t have adequate bathroom facilities.
First, the Seton Hall-St. Peter’s college basketball game was moved and now the track meets. Not a good sign for the Armory, which underwent a gigantic facelift three years ago and was thought to becoming a major sports palace once again. – Jim Hague
Our Digital Archive from 2000 – 2016
