Group match between Radford men’s basketball team Gardner-Webb was briefly delayed Wednesday night when a young fan stormed the field and had to be escorted by a Highlander.
With just a minute left in the second half and Radford leading by three, a young fan rushed onto the field and began running as players and coaches watched in confusion.
Radford Highlanders coach Darris Nichols directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first half at Colonial Life Arena on December 22, 2024. (Jeff Blake/Imagine Images)
The match announcers said in shock: “And we have a baby on the floor.” “The Sixth Man is here on Earth. I don’t know who this child is. Do we have parents?”
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The young fan continued to run before Radford’s guard, Truth Harris, a senior on the Reds’ team, stepped in and lifted the little boy up before handing him to a staff member near the court.
The distraction did not hamper the Highlanders, who won the game 79-75 to improve to 3-1 in the game. Big South Conference Play and tie for first place in the standings alongside High Point and UNC Asheville.
The Big South team issued a statement after the game about the “pint-sized” outage, adding that the child had been safely reunited with his parents.
“In a moment of unprecedented excitement, a young fan stormed the court one minute before the end of last night’s exciting Gardner-Webb vs. Radford basketball game,” the statement read.
“The cheerleader, estimated to be about three feet tall and almost shy of kindergarten eligibility, displayed amazing agility as he dodged the staff and confused the players. Thanks to the quick thinking of the Radford player (and apparently an aspiring babysitter), the situation was safely resolved when the child was taken off the court.” ”
Radford Highlanders guard Truth Harris (4) drives around South Carolina Gamecocks guard Maurice Ojosuk (15) in the second period at Colonial Life Arena on December 22, 2024. (Jeff Blake/Imagine Images)
Radford coach Darris Nichols joked after the game that he pleaded with officials not to penalize the team for agitating the young fan.
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“He was a big part of the game,” he said, laughing. “When the child ran onto the field, I said to the referee: Please don’t give it to me technique “For this.”
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