sport
Georgetown Basketball Brawl in Beijing Ends Game Early
Georgetown Hoyas vs Bayi Rockets exhibition game in Beijing turns violent with bench-clearing fight after controversial officiating and physical play.
How we reported this
A scheduled exhibition game between the Georgetown Hoyas and the Bayi Rockets ended abruptly Thursday after a bench-clearing brawl forced the visiting team off the floor.
Physical mismatch and escalating tension
The contest had already drawn attention for its one-sided officiating. Georgetown's sports information director Mex Carey told ESPN that Bayi attempted 57 free throws while the Hoyas shot just 15. The imbalance contributed to a game that Carey described as very physical and that quickly spun out of control.
With the score tied at 64 midway through the fourth quarter, Georgetown coach John Thompson III removed his players after punches were exchanged, according to The Washington Post. One Hoyas player, Henry Sims, was struck by a chair. As the team left the court, players and staff dodged water bottles and other objects thrown from the stands. Carey reported that one Georgetown fan was knocked to the ground by a thrown bottle.
Post-incident meeting and next steps
Thompson and two Georgetown players met Friday morning at the Beijing airport with Bayi representatives. The group exchanged handshakes and autographed balls in what a Georgetown statement called a very cordial and friendly meeting. Participants included senior Jason Clark, junior Hollis Thompson, and Bayi players Chen Yu and Lehei De.
Thompson told The Washington Post that the situation had moved beyond normal competition and required the team to focus on protecting itself and its supporters. He said the only remaining priority was to remove fans, players, family and friends from the building as quickly as possible.
Georgetown is scheduled to play the Shandong Flaming Bulls on Sunday in Shanghai. Chinese vice foreign minister Cui Tiankai told reporters that the matter had been cleared up.