Kinyon Hodges, a guard for the Eastern Illinois basketball team, had had enough. During a game against Lindenwood, a fan was making comments that Hodges took offense to, and he went to handle the situation himself. Hodges walked up to the fan, who was sitting in the front row at Hyland Arena and swung his arm at his face.
Immediately, the fan and another man sitting next to him pointed to a ref, who stopped the game.
It is unclear what caused the altercation, or if any contact was actually made between Hodges and the fan, as the video doesn‘t show that. Hodges is the Panthers‘ leading scorer with 13.8 points per game, and he also averages 3.6 rebounds per game.
Despite his impressive numbers, Eastern Illinois would eventually succumb to their opponents, losing 80–67.
The incident highlights the tensions on the court between players and fans, as well as the potential danger posed by fans who heckle and taunt players during games. It is the responsibility of the referees to make sure these types of altercations don‘t escalate into physical confrontations.
However, in this case, it appears that the fan was able to escape unscathed.
Don’t let the slap distract you from that MEAN POSTER 🤮 (h/t mikahblackwell_/TT) pic.twitter.com/eKOFwCKEzG
— Overtime (@overtime) February 3, 2023
Though incidents like this can be embarrassing and unfair to teams, Eastern Illinois‘ coach Marty Simmons shows understanding and grace. He sees Hodges as a “great young man“ and the incident as a “teachable moment,” for both Hodges and the team. He believes that Hodges will learn from this and grow as a player and human being.
Hodges‘ technical foul was a reminder of the importance of players remaining composed regardless of the situation. While it may have been tempting for Hodges to respond to the fan‘s taunts, ultimately it cost his team the game. As a result, Eastern Illinois now has a record of 7–17 under second–year coach Marty Simmons.
— PonyTapelis (@PonyTapelis) February 3, 2023
The incident between Kinyon Hodges and the fan in the front row showed how tempers can flare even in the heat of the game.
Though it was certainly not the highlight of the game, it was a teachable moment for Hodges and the team. Coach Marty Simmons shows understanding and grace, believing that Hodges will learn from this and grow as a player and human being.
