Saturday’s college basketball game between Norfolk State and Illinois State turned ugly during the second half after an alleged incident of racism. Spartans head coach Robert Jones stood on business, which led to a heated exchange with Redbirds head coach Ryan Pedon at half court.
Both coaches had to be separated by officials.
Jones says that the sequence of events started when Norfolk guard Jamarii Thomas was accosted by a group of fans sitting courtside. His player informed him that they directed a racial slur in his direction.
The fan called Jamarii a racial slur. So when Jamarii told me, that’s when I walked on the court and I told the ref and I told the fan, “you can’t call my players a racial slur.” I don’t care about basketball, you can’t talk to them that way. So that’s why I went on the court.
— Robert Jones, via the Virginia Pilot
Because Jones walked onto the court, Pedon wanted the officials to issue a technical foul. The former went over to tell the latter what happened and explain the situation. Things escalated quickly from there!
According to Jones, Pedon did not care why he had walked onto the court. That set him off.
I went to him and I told him that the fan called my guy a technical racial slur, that’s why I’m on the court. And (Pedon) was so fired up he said, “I don’t care. I don’t care. I don’t care.”
So that’s when I went off because you ca’’t tell me you don’t care that somebody called my kid a racial slur. Like you can’t tell me you don’t care. Forget about basketball, forget about whatever. He he has African American players on his team. […] You can’t tell me you don’t care.
— Robert Jones
Jones later claimed that the Illinois State fans used the N-word toward Thomas on social media.
I’m not letting anybody call my players a racial slur. Those are my kids and I will fight for them. We have come too far in society to be called the N word at a college basketball game.
— Robert Jones via X, formerly known as Twitter
Pedon clarified his frustration and comments toward Jones after the game. He also refused to issue an apology while pointing to his heritage.
I was upset he was on the floor and I was raising hell with the referees. It was never personal towards him. I’ll just leave it at that. I’ll take the high road on that.
I’m a competitor, man. I’m an Italian, so sometimes my emotions can get the best of me at times, but I don’t apologize for my competitive edge and that’s how I want our teams to play.
— Ryan Pedon
The school has not issued a statement or comment as of this writing. It has not publicly announced that it has opened an investigation. There has been complete radio silence out of everybody but Pedon.
In something of poetic justice, Norfolk State won the game by six on the Redbirds’ home court. Jones and Thomas walked into their trap and took over their trap. Unfortunately, the college basketball upset will forever be marred by alleged racism from the home side.
Assuming that Thomas and Jones’ accounts are true, those fans shouldn’t be allowed back in the gym. They shouldn’t be allowed to attend any athletic event again. That cannot happen.
For Illinois State to remain silent is strange as well.