SEEMS PINELANDS have no difficulty walking away from fights – or games for that matter.
Two players – one on each side – were ejected for their roles in a brief on-court skirmish before Pinelands threatened not to re-enter Thursday’s marquee Premier League basketball matchup against the league-leading Act II Popcorn Clapham Bulls.
In the end the Bulls won the heated showdown at the Wildey Gym 68-55.
The scene marred what was otherwise a gripping contest between the long-time rivals, who traded baskets like how two prize boxers trade blows in a title bout. Then the blows, and the fight, became literal.
The situation arose with 4:55 remaining in the fourth quarter after Bulls forward Mark Foster failed to extend a ten-point (60-50) Clapham lead by travelling in the low blocks.
On that same possession, Bulls combo guard Jeremy Gill didn’t appear to take kindly to a “cheap shot” from Kurt “Gypsy” Elias, shoving the opposing forward before Elias responded with a shot to Gill’s face.
Gill and teammate Halley Franklyn attempted to go after a retreating Elias, but both benches and the on-court officials quickly diffused the matter.
Gill and Elias were subsequently ejected following a five-minute break.
However, Pinelands’ coaching staff and fans were enraged that Franklyn wasn’t also disqualified as the players and coaches proceeded to storm off the playing area.
Six Pinelands players, along with coaches Renaldo Maughan and Ryan Maynard, eventually returned to finish the contest with no further incident.
It was an unfortunate blemish on a riveting rivalry-game which Clapham led by as many as 12 points in the third quarter (56-44) following a see-saw first half that saw at least 15 lead changes.
But Rahiim Gibbons leaked out for two open-court lay-ups, sandwiching a long Gill triple as the Bulls scored nine unanswered points to stretch a two-point half-time lead (33-31) to an 11-point cushion (42-31).
Pinelands didn’t go quietly, though, with Charles Vanderpool dominating each Clapham forward sent his way to the tune of eight points in a 12-4 run that pulled his side back within three (46-43).
However, Elias picked up a technical for grabbing Franklyn in the groin area, and Gill’s ensuing free-throws were soon followed by a Foster jumper and a fast-break lay-up from Sean Parris that restored Bulls’ double-digit advantage (56-44).
Gill led all scorers with 24 points and Sydney “Bouncer” Rowe added 14 points and 13 boards for Clapham, who improved to a league-best 6-1 record. Vanderpool led Pinelands (3-2) with 18 points, while Elias scored 16.
