Basketball fan storms the court, causing delay: 'Unsure of child ownership'

Gardner-Webb was defeated by Radford men's basketball with a final score of 75-79.

Basketball fan storms the court, causing delay: 'Unsure of child ownership'
Basketball fan storms the court, causing delay: 'Unsure of child ownership'

A brief delay occurred during a conference matchup between the Radford men's basketball team and Gardner-Webb on Wednesday night when a young fan rushed onto the court and had to be escorted off by one of the Highlanders.

A young fan ran onto the court with only a minute remaining in the second half and Radford leading by three, causing confusion among players and coaches.

Darris Nichols
Radford Highlanders head coach Darris Nichols directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first half at Colonial Life Arena Dec. 22, 2024.  (Jeff Blake/Imagn Images)

"The broadcasters exclaimed in shock, "We have a child on the floor in the game. It's the sixth man, but we don't know whose child it is. Do we have any parents?""

Radford guard Truth Harris lifted the small child up and handed him over to a staffer near the court after the young fan continued to run around before him.

Despite the distraction, the Highlanders emerged victorious with a 79-75 win, improving their Big South Conference record to 3-1 and tying for first place with High Point and UNC Asheville.

The child was safely reunited with his parents after the "pint-sized" interruption during the game, as stated by the Big South.

A young fan rushed onto the court with only one minute remaining in the thrilling basketball game between Gardner-Webb and Radford last night.

"The three-foot-tall child, who was just shy of kindergarten eligibility, displayed impressive agility as he evaded staff and puzzled players. Thanks to the quick thinking of a Radford player (and apparent aspiring babysitter), the child was safely removed from the court."

radford's truth harris
Radford Highlanders guard Truth Harris (4) drives around South Carolina Gamecocks guard Morris Ugusuk (15) in the second half at Colonial Life Arena Dec. 22, 2024. (Jeff Blake/Imagn Images)

After the game, Darris Nichols, the Radford coach, joked that he begged officials not to penalize the team due to the enthusiasm of a young fan.

"He laughed as he said, "The kid running onto the court was a huge part of the game. I told the ref, 'Please don't give me a technical for this.'""

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by Paulina Dedaj

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