Nottingham boys basketball game at Ithaca called off in 3rd quarter after scuffle (video)

A boys basketball game between Nottingham and Ithaca was called during the third quarter after two small scuffles between players on Monday night in Ithaca.

Nottingham coach Cornelius Vines told syracuse.com that Ithaca athletic director Samantha Little made the decision to call the game after the two scuffles late in the third quarter. Little did not immediately respond to syracuse.com’s request for comment.

“She told them to call the game,” Vines said. “She came over there and told him to call the game. So I told my bookkeeper to call it in. We were winning in the third quarter. Call it in. It’s going to be our win. Just for that to end like that was very frustrating. It was very frustrating. The game shouldn’t have ended there. My kids didn’t deserve that. We deserved to finish the game.”

>> The complete game was live-streamed and recorded through Hudl and can be viewed here.

With about 2:10 left in the third quarter, an Ithaca player drove to the basket and was fouled by a Nottingham player while finishing a layup. This cut the Bulldogs’ advantage to 44-27.

After a missed free throw, another Ithaca player grabbed the rebound and he got tangled up with a Nottingham player who was trying to box him out.

The Ithaca player appeared to grab the Nottingham player’s neck and shove him. Players from both teams began pushing and shoving.

“I never seen somebody choke somebody and not get ejected,” Vines said. “I know my kids didn’t start anything. We didn’t choke anybody. ... They’re not a dirty team. We’re not a dirty team. You just have two teams competing at the end of the day. That’s how I look at it.”

Players from both teams left their respective bench areas but appeared to be trying to help de-escalate the altercation on the floor. Coaches and officials quickly got the teams back to their respective benches.

Play resumed about three minutes later with a technical free throw for Nottingham.

With just under a minute to go in the third quarter, a Nottingham defender blocked a shot, pulled down the rebound and began pushing the ball up the floor for a fastbreak opportunity.

A streaking Nottingham player finished strong at the rim and was fouled by an Ithaca player. The two players fell to the floor and were briefly tangled up. Another Nottingham player ran over and pushed the Ithaca player off of his teammate.

“One of my kids did something unnecessary as he went over there and bumped the kid at the end of that layup or whatever. But I grabbed him and I took him off the floor because I just told them, ‘Please let your game speak for itself.’ So they know. That’s embarrassing right there, man. That’s embarrassing. I feel embarrassed.”

No punches were thrown, and there was no other shoving during this scuffle.

Little immediately ran onto the court to help get her players back to their bench. She also stopped to talk with an official. She could also be seen waving both arms away from her body and a few seconds later the official yelled to the gym, “The game’s over.”

The final score of the game was 44-29 in favor of Nottingham. It is not immediately clear how this non-league game will be reflected in the team’s records.

“We are better than them,” Vines said of his 11-5 Bulldogs. “So it gets frustrating, to be honest with you, ... I told (my players), ‘I didn’t feel like you guys were up. I kept yelling energy, energy, energy. I should never have to talk to you like this during a game like this.’ And I think it’s hard when you going in and you’re facing a team that’s 2-11 or something like that. But you have to go in and win the game because anything can happen.”

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