A high school basketball coach in San Bernardino, California, has been suspended for allowing his team to cruise to a 161-2 thumping over a competitor, multiple outlets reported, in a victory that prompted a debate about good sportsmanship.
Arroyo Valley High School Coach Michael Anderson was blacklisted for allowing his girls team to crush the Bloomington High team during their Jan. 5 meet.
California high school girls basketball team wins game, 161-2 http://t.co/B4Kc5OGDaW
KDVR FOX31 Denver@KDVRFollow
California high school girls basketball team wins game, 161-2 http://t.co/B4Kc5OGDaW
10:09 AM - 09 Jan 15ReplyRetweetFavorite
"I didn’t expect [Bloomington] to be that bad, I’m not trying to embarrass anybody. And I didn’t expect my bench to play that well," Anderson told the San Bernardino Sun "The game got away from me."
His team has won four previous games by more than 70 points.
Bloomington coach Dale Chung told the newspaper that Anderson had played an aggressive full-court press for the game's first half, allowing the Arroyo team to lead 104-1 at half time.
"We only got the ball past half court maybe four or five times in the first half," Chung said.
"People shouldn't feel sorry for my team. They should feel sorry for [Anderson's] team, which isn't learning the game the right way," Dale Chung said.
The shellacking prompted debate online over whether the coach should have had his team ease up.
Seriously? Who does this? High School Girls Basketball Coach Suspended After His Team Won 161-2 http://t.co/8qiCbCJ1Xg #noleadership
Jay Ackerman@AckermanjayFollow
Seriously? Who does this? High School Girls Basketball Coach Suspended After His Team Won 161-2 http://t.co/8qiCbCJ1Xg #noleadership
9:43 AM - 17 Jan 15ReplyRetweetFavorite
We are in trouble when success is punished #ReallyGoodTeam http://t.co/42S25kZmuS
M Kelley@M_CeallaighFollow
We are in trouble when success is punished #ReallyGoodTeam http://t.co/42S25kZmuS
10:18 AM - 17 Jan 15ReplyRetweetFavorite
Give that coach a raise not a suspension-California girls high school basketball coach suspended after 161-2 victory http://t.co/1ZObwEpEs5
Revolution Rising@ArmymiddleclassFollow
Give that coach a raise not a suspension-California girls high school basketball coach suspended after 161-2 victory http://t.co/1ZObwEpEs5
9:40 AM - 17 Jan 15ReplyRetweetFavorite
David Mack is a reporter and weekend editor for BuzzFeed News in New York.
Contact David Mack at david.mack@buzzfeed.com.
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