The silence is deafening and indefensible from the supposed adults charged with turning an ugly incident from a Division I district championship game into a “teachable moment.”
Columbus, OH – No boys or girls basketball game begins without the obligatory announcement from the Ohio High School Athletic Association about its firm commitment to sportsmanship standards and the finger-wagging admonition for players and fans to, “RESPECT THE GAME.”
But in the aftermath of Reynoldsburg freshman Mehki Roddy’s unprovoked punch to the groin of Hilliard Bradley sophomore Ben Mirgon in Saturday’s Division I district championship game, there has been no announcement from either Reynoldsburg High School nor the OHSAA about Roddy’s status moving forward.
Bruce Hooley writes high school sports and sports at large for Press Pros Magazine.com.
That seems incompatible with two statements on the OHSAA’s website which state that it is committed to:
- “Providing rulings that are swift, fair, consistent and impartial.
- “Honoring our ultimate purpose, which is to promote lifetime values, good citizenship, academic success, ethics and fair play in safe and sporting environments.”
Mirgon probably didn’t feel very safe Saturday night after he brought the ball across midcourt with his fifth-seeded team leading No. 2 Reynoldsburg by 12 points with four minutes left in the second quarter, only to have Roddy approach him after a pass to the wing and punch him squarely in the groin.
Mirgon, who had just drained consecutive three-point field goals to contribute to Bradley’s lead, collapsed in a heap, writhing in pain. More than one minute passed before anyone from Bradley was permitted on the court to tend to Mirgon, who left the game after the punch as Reynoldsburg went on a subsequent 7-0 run.
Reynoldsburg coach Andrew Moore removed Roddy from the game after the punch, but re-inserted him in the fourth quarter, when Reynoldsburg overcame a 10-point deficit to defeat Bradley and win the district title.
You can watch what would, in any other venue, be a clear case of assault in the easy-to-find videos on Twitter (X).
The official is staring directly at the play, as at least one official should be, given that Mirgon had the basketball until a second before the punch and was unobstructed by other players.
Yet Roddy, after the three officials huddled, was not ejected, or even called for a technical foul. He was simply assessed an intentional foul, which means the official saw the foul occur, but didn’t deem it flagrant.
Here is what the announcers said of the incident on the National Federation of State High School Associations broadcast as Roddy initially fell backward upon minimal-to-phantom contact from Mignon’s arm as he came across midcourt:
Announcer 1: “He (Roddy) tried to put a little acting on that one. The official didn’t go for it, and then all of the sudden, there’s going to be some pushing..
Announcer 2: “I don’t know what that was. OK, yeah, let’s see it. Here it is. Here it is, partner. Let’s see what he did….OHHH! OHHH!
Announcer 1: “And he did. He punched him!
Announcer 2: “He should be disqualified.
Announcer 1: “Absolutely.
Announcer 2: “He should be disqualified. Right now. That is uncalled for.”
If one brief look at a replay is all it required for two announcers to come to an immediate conclusion about the severity and impropriety of Roddy’s behavior, why did the weekend pass with neither the OHSAA or anyone from Reynoldsburg Schools addressing the matter?
Why was Roddy permitted to play in the fourth quarter of the game after the incident was reviewed on video at halftime?
Dave Mirgon, the father of the Ben Mirgon of Bradley, said the family heard nothing from either the OHSAA or Reynoldsburg school officials or administrators all weekend.
“I was hoping for some accountability,” said Mirgon, who runs the largest AAU basketball program in Central Ohio. “I was hoping for some level of consequence that everyone could agree was fair and equitable.”
Mirgon said Moore contacted him Monday afternoon to apologize for the incident and that Roddy texted an apology to Ben Mirgon, saying, “That’s not me.”
Moore, reached last night, said his school would not permit him to discuss the incident and directed questions to the Reynoldsburg district’s communications supervisor, who emailed this non-committal statement on Tuesday morning:
“At the most recent basketball game, a Reynoldsburg Boys Basketball player acted in a way that lacked sportsmanship. At the time, the player was given an intentional foul, but upon further review after the game, the coaching staff felt the action warranted additional consequences.
“Reynoldsburg City Schools does not condone players’ unsportsmanlike conduct. Our student-athletes represent our District and community and are considered mentors and role models for our younger students. We expect our student-athletes to uphold the highest sportsmanship standards on and off the court.
“We are taking appropriate steps to address the situation and ensure that all our athletes understand the importance of ethical conduct and responsible representation of their families and our District.”
You read that right…there’s no mention of Roddy’s name nor his punishment — if any — in the official statement from the school.
Likewise, neither OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute nor Director of Communications Tim Stried responded to text messages last night, seeking clarity on Roddy’s eligibility status for Reynoldsburg’s matchup against Dublin Coffman on Thursday.
