As much as I hate to say it, North Central junior standout D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera deserves to miss the Panther’s regional semi-final game Saturday against Pike after throwing a punch.
During the second quarter of last Friday’s sectional contest between North Central & Lawrence North, a fight broke out. A pair of seniors, Michael Chandler of LN and Tim Bass of NC got tangled up during a rebound. The anger continued down the court when Chandler, a UCF commit, then started to swing for dear life at Bass. Fortunately for both Chandler and Bass, he missed. Immediately benches cleared and fans rushed the court. It then several minutes for referees and school administrators to separate the teams and figure out what just took place.
A fight is a fight, and any participant should suffer the necessary consequences. Tim Bass sat out the Panther’s sectional championship game Saturday against Lawrence Central, but the highly-touted Smith-Rivera deserves to miss a game as well.
As a North Central grad, it kills me to write it but a punch is a punch.
Take a look at the video I posted and judge for yourself. The TV 40 cameras miss the initial punches but beginning at about the 17 second mark, DSR comes in, throws one punch and runs away.
The IHSAA looked at the video on Monday and provided suggestions to both schools. Because Lawrence North is done for the season, it really only affects North Central. My guess is principal C.E. Quandt and athletic director Chuck Jones will suspended Smith-Rivera.
Another question brought up is to why any player that left the bench wasn’t suspended. Unlike the NBA, the IHSAA doesn’t suspended players for clearing the bench. In addition, in the second half both Chandler and Bass who were ejected sat behind their respective benches. Because it is high school and some players may be minors, players are allowed to sit behind the bench if the school does not have an adult in the locker room with the player to provide supervision.
North Central meets Pike at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday at 10 a.m. The winner will face either Center Grove or Hamilton Southeastern Saturday night for the regional championship. This whole ordeal may help Hamilton Southeastern who is expected to knock off Center Grove.
NC and Pike have met twice already this season, splitting the pair of games. The Panthers won the season-opener at Pike, but the Red Devils knocked off NC in the Marion County Tournament.
Smith-Rivera averages 25.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.
UPDATE: 10:30 a.m. – North Central has announced that D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera will be suspended for their regional semi-final game against Pike. A source at the school also told me he was suspended from school for one day. Should NC go on to win, he would be eligible to play Saturday night against either Center Grove or Hamilton Southeastern.
(Photos courtesy of Jamie Owens)
DSR is a great kid and is a terrific player. However he just got caught up in a bad situation. I agree, it’s the right move.
I was at the game, and I want to credit the administrators for both LN & NC. They worked together to be on the same page and ensure a subsequent fight didn’t break out. Chandler started this whole ordeal and the heat of the moment got the best of other players. It’s Indiana basketball…but we don’t need unnecessary madness.
What I don’t understand is why didn’t North Central suspended Smith-Rivera for Saturday night’s sectional championship against Lawrence Central? They easily beat them by 20. Smith-Rivera is needed much more Saturday v Pike than against LC. It’s not going to be easy.
As a Hoosier fan, I’m sure glad Coach Crean didn’t give Chandler a chance. His negatives far outweighs his positive. It is truly a shame he hasn’t shaped up and realized his possibilities. Waste of talent.
A punch is felony assault, plain and simple. Charges should be filed and Smith-Rivera should be suspended indefinately. Suspended for one game.. seriously??? Where is the outrage??? An Oregon player was suspended for a season because of his punch. What DSR did was wrong…PERIOD. Because its in the confines of a basketball game doesn’t give him a pass. If he cant control his temper, he shouldn’t be playing the game, and that goes for Mitchell too! If he cant control his players, get another job! RETIRE!! The way NC basketball is run is disgusting!!!
If you look carefully at the video, at the 17-18 second mark, you can see that it was 24, not 44 (DSR’s number), who threw the punch and ran away, so if that was the problem that the IHSAA and NC had, they got the wrong guy.
Whoops, my bad, it is a little confusing, but after a few closer looks it does appear that it was 44, not 24.
The camera is initially on 24…he goes in and throws some punches, but 44 (DSR) comes into the picture, throws one and bails. I credit North Central for making the right call and suspending him — and winning without him. They are going to be very hard to beat.
The camera is initially on 24…he goes in and throws some punches, but 44 (DSR) comes into the picture, throws one and bails. I credit North Central for making the right call and suspending him — and winning without him. They are going to be very hard to beat.