Twitter video/overtime
Yesterday, a clip of a Division III basketball game in Massachusetts went viral after a player on Fitchburg State delivered one of the biggest cheap shots you’ll ever see on the hardwood.
Nichols College freshman guard Nate Tenaglia drilled a corner three late in his team’s 84-75 win over Fitchburg and as Nate was holding his follow-through, Kewan Platt, a junior guard who was recently named the men’s basketball player of the week for the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, elbowed him in the face.
This is disgusting 😣 pic.twitter.com/D8xihwFmwT
— Overtime (@overtime) November 14, 2018
The irony of Platt being the culprit, as many pointed out on Twitter, is that he is a criminal justice major. He is also the team’s star, averaging 24 points and 12.5 rebounds.
Fitchburg State and the MASCAC came down hard on the player, suspending him indefinitely and barring him from campus.
The MASCAC and Fitchburg State University take this incident very seriously. We are appalled by the actions of the student-athlete. He has been indefinitely suspended from the team and barred from campus. (1 of 3)
— MASCAC (@mascacsports) November 14, 2018
In addition, the case is under review by Fitchburg State for consideration of further sanctions. The MASCAC has also vacated his player of the week award. His behavior goes against the MASCAC’s mission which includes good sportsmanship. (2 of 3)
— MASCAC (@mascacsports) November 14, 2018
On behalf of the MASCAC and Fitchburg State, we apologize to the Nichols College student-athlete, the team and institution.
— MASCAC (@mascacsports) November 14, 2018
Platt eventually released a statement apologizing for his actions:
A Statement from Kewan Platt pic.twitter.com/ma1PO93cUo
— Sherwyn Cooper (@BallasTV) November 15, 2018
Another narrative surrounding the incident was the fact that not one of the Nichols players appears to retaliate or confront Platt. Not exactly who’d I want next to me taking grenades in the trenches.
Nichols head coach Scott Faucher chalked it up to having a team full of heady players. OOOOOOk.
“We have older guys that have been through it. They understand what a retaliation might mean, in terms of consequences and things like that. So, their focus is on the next play.”
As far as how Nate’s doing, Coach Faucher had this to say:
“[Nate’s] doing well. We’re going to continue to monitor him, but Nate’s a tough kid.”
[h/t TMZ]