Fall out from the fight from the ualr vs bg game

[former_d1]

UALR Basketball Report

By Jeffrey Slatton

Wright suspended one game UALR junior guard Zack Wright will have to sit out tonight’s game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff after being involved in an altercation in Saturday’s 68-60 victory over Bowling Green at the Jack Stephens Center.

With 18:54 to play in the second half, UALR’s Buddy Harding and Bowling Green’s Mawel Soler wrestled on the floor after a loose ball. The 6-6 Soler jumped on top of Harding, who flipped Soler and pinned him. Soler landed at least two punches, said the 6-2 Harding, who held Soler down until officials intervened.

At the same time, pushing occurred between players from both teams. Bowling Green’s Matt Lefeld shoved Wright backward. Wright responded by throwing a punch that missed.

Game officials from the Mid-American Conference reviewed the game tape at courtside and decided to eject only Wright. Harding and Soler received technical fouls for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Sun Belt Conference director of officials Dale Kelley reviewed the game tape Monday and, after speaking to game officials, informed UALR Coach Steve Shields that Wright was ejected for fighting. He is suspended one game and could be suspended the remainder of the season if another incident takes place.

Wright, who apologized to his teammates in the locker room after the game, is averaging 11.4 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 33.4 minutes per game this season.

It doesn’t appear Soler and Lefeld will receive any disciplinary action for their role in Saturday’s altercation between the teams.

Mid-American Conference officials weren’t even aware an altercation had taken place until contacted by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Monday afternoon.

Eggins to start Freshman De’Andre Eggins will take junior Zack Wright’s spot in the starting lineup tonight. Eggins will also back up point guard Buddy Harding running the team.

Eggins, who played all the guard positions while a high school player in Alexandria, La., has averaged 6.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. But he hasn’t had to handle the point guard responsibilities this season.

“In high school, I played every position from 1 through 5. I’m pretty comfortable playing anything,” Eggins said. “I feel comfortable with it. The only thing I’ve noticed in practice is getting a little winded when I put pressure defensively on the point guard. I didn’t really have to do that in high school.” After practice Monday, Eggins sat with Harding going over the plays UALR runs.

“’Dre is going to handle it well,” Harding said.

Akins back soon Tonight’s game could be the last without junior point guard Terrance Akins, who is scheduled to return to the doctor this afternoon.

Akins broke his foot Oct. 21 in practice. Friday will mark seven weeks since his surgery.

The healing process was supposed to take six to eight weeks.

If Akins is cleared to resume practice, he could be available in some capacity for Tuesday’s home game against Appalachian State.

Tough guy When Buddy Harding was recruited out of Pulaski Academy, UALR Coach Steve Shields said the quality he liked most about him was his toughness.

“He’s tough-minded and a guy who can definitely run a basketball team,” Shields said.

“He won’t back down from anybody. He never has or will.

That’s why I like him.” That was apparent Saturday when the redshirt freshman, giving up about 4 inches and 40 pounds, flipped Bowling Green’s Mawel Soler off of him and held him down as Soler tried to fight. If it was collegiate wrestling, Harding would have received two points for a textbook reversal.

Harding didn’t throw a punch, even after apparently receiving two punches to the side of the head from Soler.

And when game officials finally broke it up, Harding even stuck his hand out to help Soler up off the court.

“It was just two physical teams going at it. I’m just that competitive and [Soler’s] that competitive and stuff like that is going to happen,” Harding said.

[Warthog]

The 6-6 Soler jumped on top of Harding, who flipped Soler and pinned him. Soler landed at least two punches, said the 6-2 Harding, who held Soler down until officials intervened.

At the same time, pushing occurred between players from both teams. Bowling Green’s Matt Lefeld shoved Wright backward. Wright responded by throwing a punch that missed.
...
It doesn’t appear Soler and Lefeld will receive any disciplinary action for their role in Saturday’s altercation between the teams.
...
Harding didn’t throw a punch, even after apparently receiving two punches to the side of the head from Soler.

Ok, Samarco gets suspended for one game for showing up late. What is the appropriate sentence for Soler for throwing two punches? How about Lefeld? Let's see if our disciplinarian coach addresses this one at all.

[former_d1]

I would like to hear from anyone here that gets to see the tape. At the game things happened so quick you could not tell what really happened.

[JWEIII]

Hmmmm

That article sounds a little lopsided (and very whiney).

"Our guy got caught throwing a punch on video and got suspended. Someone on our team got shoved and someone else said that one of their guys threw two punches, and they got noting."

Whine, Whine, Whine.

Why should the MAC have been notified? For a techinical foul? (If that's the case they better get one of those "red phones" straight to league headquarters for DD). When it happened the radio announcer SAW the UALR player throw a punch. The officials reviewed the TV feeds and SAW the same thing. Are we supposed to suspend Soler because a ULAR player says he threw punches, which NOBODY saw? Yeah, let's take his word for it.

Whine, Whine, Whine.

[Warthog]

Never heard that the second guy is the one that gets caught?

And FWIW, Soler punching a guy or starting a fight does not seem out of the realm of possibility to me. Have you seen him play? He seems to go out of his way to try to start something.

[JWEIII]

Never heard that the second guy is the one that gets caught?

And FWIW, Soler punching a guy or starting a fight does not seem out of the realm of possibility to me. Have you seen him play? He seems to go out of his way to try to start something.

I have heard that, and it is usually true, and I have seen Soler play on numerous occasions. So?

Is your post suggesting that Soler should be suspended because someone said he threw a punch? My POINT is that nobody saw him and this "writer" is whining that he is not being punished for doing something that someone said he did, but nobody saw him do (after reviewing a tape).

Meh...

[BGSU33]

Man, like I said before, it's always something with this team, isn't it. Well, as for today's situation, the UALR player "said" punches were thrown. But what I want to know is, "were" there any punches thrown. Meaning, can you actually see punches being thrown on the tape or not? That is the question. We'll see what may or may not come of this. Until then, I am going to try and go back to enjoying the good news about us expecting to be full strength for our games against FSU & Troy this weekend.

[JWEIII]

Man, like I said before, it's always something with this team, isn't it. Well, as for today's situation, the UALR player "said" punches were thrown. But what I want to know is, "were" there any punches thrown. Meaning, can you actually see punches being thrown on the tape or not? That is the question. We'll see what may or may not come of this. Until then, I am going to try and go back to enjoying the good news about us expecting to be full strength for our games against FSU & Troy this weekend.

Well said!

Man, if that tape shows Soler throwing punches and the MAC officials did nothing... How embarrasing would that be?

[PGY Tiercel]

Furthermore, if Soler did throw and land two punches on the guys head, and was still flipped over and pinned, how physical can he be? Why is DD recruiting such pansies that they can't even do some damage when they are fighting.

[h2oville rocket]

That's what I was thinking. First punch puts him out, second one makes sure he stays out. If he flips you over and pins you after that you have already gotten all the punishment you deserve.

[Dayons_Den]

I was covering the Bowling Green - Springfield high school basketball game this past Friday night. BG is the better team but Springfield was playing really well and one of their senior leaders was really giving his all on both ends of the court sometimes out of control but in an intense Anthony Stacey kind of way. In fact he was basically shadowing BG's best player and trying to cause him fits all night.

So in the second half, early 4th quarter I think, said Springfield player has 4 fouls and is driving the lane against the BG player he was guarding all night and trying to piss off. The BG player takes a charge (foul #5 on Springfield guy).

The BG guy is flat on his back and hte Springfield player is on top of him having just ran in to him. As the Springfield guy is getting up on all fours he cocks his right arm back and punches the BG player in the lower gut- near his junk. I wanted to throw up when I saw it.

The kid was out of the game with 5 fouls so I am sure he tought "If I am gone I"ll try and take him with me." Luckily he got a technical as well and was kicked out. I really hope the kid gets suspended at least one game. The BG kid didn't retaliate and BG went on to win. It was quite ugly though.

I mean it is one thing if the guy was posting up and the BG kid was pushing and the 5th foul was for retaliation in the post but why punch and get mad at a guy who took a charge?

I've thought about talking to the league office as I had an unblemished angle at the interaction, but I don't know. ..

[Warthog]

Is your post suggesting that Soler should be suspended because someone said he threw a punch? My POINT is that nobody saw him and this "writer" is whining that he is not being punished for doing something that someone said he did, but nobody saw him do (after reviewing a tape).

Meh...

If a tree falls in the woods, did it fall if no one saw it? I am not suggesting Soler be suspended if it didn't happen. I just think there needs to be some inquiries made to ascertain the truth of the situation.

I think there had to be someone who saw what really happened. Short of that, how about somebody ask Soler what happened. That seemed to be a pretty effective strategy when my parents were trying to find out who broke the window, spilled the milk, wrecked the car, etc. Ask the person who was involved.

[JWEIII]

I think there had to be someone who saw what really happened.

That's it. If someone saw him I think it's totally different. But, as far as we know, nobody saw him do anything.

Short of that, how about somebody ask Soler what happened.

I would, but I don't want to get punched.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

I think there had to be someone who saw what really happened.

That's it. If someone saw him I think it's totally different. But, as far as we know, nobody saw him do anything.

Short of that, how about somebody ask Soler what happened.

I would, but I don't want to get punched.

Now that's funny.


It sounded to me from the tone of the article, as if the writer did not believe the kid that said Soler punched him. If the refs watched tape to decide to throw the Wright kid out, you'd think they'd have seen someone get punched in the head twice.

[Bleeding Orange]

Wait - huh? I had no idea there was even a fight to begin with! Did I just miss it, or was there no discussion of this following the game around here? I couldn't get the WBGU feed to listen to the game (like the rest of the free world - I hear Castro gets it just fine...), so I had no clue.

My uneducated guess, though, would be that a UALR player started this fight. I mean, you know how jealous those Akransans get around teeth!

*joking*