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Georgetown's basketball team gets into fight in China
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Georgetown's tour through China turned ugly Thursday when a game between the Hoyas and the Bayi Rockets, a Chinese professional team, ended in a bench-clearing brawl.
Mex Carey, Georgetown's sports information director, told ESPN.com that the game was "very physical," with 57 free throws taken by Bayi to just 15 for Georgetown, and quickly spun out of control.
According to the Washington Post, coach John Thompson III pulled his team off the court with the score tied at 64 midway through the fourth quarter after the teams exchanged punches. One Hoyas player, Henry Sims, was reportedly hit by a chair.
The Hoyas dodged water bottles and other objects thrown from the stands as they made their way to the locker room. Carey said one Georgetown fan in attendance was knocked to the ground after being hit by a bottle.
"Tonight, two great teams played a very competitive game that unfortunately ended after heated exchanges with both teams,'' Thompson said in a statement. "We sincerely regret that this situation occurred.
"We remain grateful for the opportunity our student-athletes are having to engage in a sport they love here in China, while strengthening their understanding of a nation we respect and admire at Georgetown University.''
The Post reported that the game had been tense from the beginning and was stopped earlier after two players exchanged words.
At one point, a Rockets player even berated Thompson after the Hoyas' coach yelled at his team.
Georgetown arrived in China during the weekend for an 11-day trip. The Hoyas played their first game Wednesday, beating the Shanxi Brave Dragons in front of United States Vice President Joe Biden.
They are scheduled to depart for Shanghai Friday.
Source: AP