An otherwise routine Tri-County Athletic League boys’ basketball
game turned into a spectacle of technical fouls and accusations of
racial slurs Tuesday night, as Gilroy High lost 69-54 to the
visiting Alvarez Eagles.
Both teams walked away from the game with much different views
on how things spun out of control in the third quarter.
GILROY – An otherwise routine Tri-County Athletic League boys’ basketball game turned into a spectacle of technical fouls and accusations of racial slurs Tuesday night, as Gilroy High lost 69-54 to the visiting Alvarez Eagles.
Both teams walked away from the game with much different views on how things spun out of control in the third quarter.
The Mustangs had trouble containing Alvarez’s Preston Juarez, who made six three-pointers on the way to a game-high 28 points, and trouble keeping their composure after falling behind 46-25 with 3:27 remaining in the third quarter. In between free throws by Mustang forward Tyler Hartman, Gilroy point guard Elijah Harrell received two technical fouls and was ejected from the contest after getting in a verbal dispute with Eagles forward Erik Rodriguez. Harrell claims that Rodriguez shoved him in the back before saying, “[Expletive] you, n—–.”
Harrell is of Mexican and African-American descent, Gilroy coach Jeremy Dirks said.
Rodriguez denied making such a statement.
“I don’t call no one a n—–,” he said. “I don’t even remember (what I said). It’s in the game.
“One thing in basketball is you’re gonna say stuff you don’t even know. But I know I didn’t call him a n—–.”
When asked what he thought about the alleged comment, Alvarez coach Mark Haddan responded, “I think that’s alleged.”
Haddan added that it was illogical for Rodriguez to make such statements when he plays on a team as diverse as the Eagles. He then pointed out that such talk can be par for the course.
“First of all, [Harrell] needs to hold his temper. Stuff like that is said all the time,” Haddan said. “You don’t think people are calling my kids [racial slurs in reference to Mexicans]?”
Gilroy coach Jeremy Dirks called Harrell’s reaction out of character.
“Obviously, something was said. I believe my guys,” Dirks said. “Why would they lie? There’s no reason to make it up. It wasn’t like it was going to bail us out.”
Gilroy, which trailed 14-11 after the first quarter and 38-24 at halftime, saw its deficit increase following the ejection, as Alvarez led 60-33 to start the fourth quarter.
Just four trips up the floor after Harrell was ejected, Rodriguez was assessed a technical foul by referee Robert Fabing, the same referee who ejected Harrell. Fabing was reached by telephone following the contest but declined comment on the game or what was said by the players who received technical fouls.
Gilroy forward Michael Aldridge claims he heard Rodriguez use the racial slur after Rodriguez was assessed a technical foul.
“[The ref] was giving him a ‘T’ and then he said the n-word again,” Aldridge said.
Harrell said he has never been ejected from a game and was surprised he was the only one thrown out.
“I was more pissed that the ref didn’t do anything because he was right where I was standing,” he said.
Juarez, who made three of four free throws following Harrell’s ejection, said he didn’t hear any such statements from Rodriguez during the game.
“No, I didn’t hear anything,” he said. “He’s got a big mouth, but he’s just a real competitive player.”
Harrell is likely to miss Thursday’s game in Hollister as Central Coast Section and TCAL rules state that a player cannot participate in the next game following an ejection, GHS Athletic Director Jack Daley said. Dirks and Daley are considering an appeal.
“We’ll probably tell our TCAL commissioner to review it,” Dirks said. “I don’t know if much will come of it, but at least it’s on the books.”
Daley did not confirm a petition will be filed.
“We have to find out a little more information,” Daley said. “Without some other witnesses, at least at this point, not anyone else heard the kid say what [Harrell] said he said.”
Daley did admit that he was surprised to see how strongly Harrell reacted.
“It’s where you go, ‘That’s not him,’ ” he said. “So, it gives a lot of credence to what he’s saying.”
Any discipline for Rodriguez’s role in the dispute would be solely up to Alvarez administrators.
“We talked to the principal, their principal, and our principal, and we’ll see what happens,” Daley said. “But that would be an action that has to be taken as a school (by Alvarez).”
The Eagles’ Eric Perez was the game’s second leading scorer with 14 points, while Gilroy was paced by Neil Azcueta’s nine points and four assists. Tyler Hartman led the Mustangs with 10 rebounds to go with nine points. Michael Hartman and Jordan Cania had six and five points off the bench for Gilroy, respectively.
The loss marked the third in as many TCAL games for the Mustangs (9-8), who will play Thursday at 7 p.m. at San Benito. Alvarez improved to 14-2 overall with the win, 2-1 in the TCAL.
Update: Gilroy coach Jeremy Dirks confirmed Wednesday afternoon that an appeal has been filed on Elijah Harrell’s behalf with TCAL Commissioner Tim McCarthy to allow Harrell to play in Thursday’s game at San Benito.
