NEW YORK — What appeared to be jungle calls coming from high school basketball fans in Pearl River are drawing outrage in suburban New York, where Nyack team captain Harrison Jordan was targeted Wednesday night.
“You hear it but you don’t believe it,” the senior told the Journal News.
Video of Jordan shooting free throws while taunts came from the stands was posted to a Twitter account dedicated to Nyack Red Hawks basketball. The person or people making what sound like monkey noises can't be seen in the footage. Jordan said he heard the offensive jeering on three occasions.
His teammate Kameron Kukielczak reportedly said he expected to face a tough home crowd during his squad’s road game against the Pearl River Pirates. But the sophomore athlete wasn’t anticipating what he heard with his teammate at the free-throw line.
Nyack school board President Terence Rock reportedly said everyone in the gym knew something was awry and wonders why no one stepped up and dealt with the problem.
“Why didn’t any of them say, ‘Stop. Hey, who did that?” he asked the Journal News.
Pearl River Superintendent Marco Pochintesta acknowledged the incident in a letter to his community Thursday.
“At last night’s varsity basketball game versus Nyack High School, a very disturbing incident was reported in which student spectators from PRHS could be heard making monkey noises while students of color on the Nyack team took free throws,” Pochintesta. “I am outraged by these actions and the harm they have caused. This behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances and the students involved will be addressed.”
The superintendent said similar primate calls were heard during a game in late January. State and county officials Sen. Elijah Reichlin-Melnick voiced disdain for Wednesday’s vile incident. New York Public High School Athletic Association officials said the verbal attacks against Nyack’s 18-year-old team leader were “disturbing, alarming, and disappointing.”
“I was proud as captain how we handled it,” Jordan said of his team.
Pearl River school officials said Friday that attendance at Friday night’s boys varsity basketball against Nanuet would be limited to only two adults per player.
The state’s education department reports that 2% of the Pearl River school district is Black. Pear River’s high school team’s lineup on the floor when Jordan was being harassed on video was all white.
“Allowing monkey noises to echo through a gymnasium while an African American player shoots free throws, sanctions racism and hatred,” reads a caption attached to that video on @NYACHHSHOOPS. “Pearl River missed the mark to correct abhorrent behavior. Stop the Game. Remove the Offenders. Do Better!”
Adding insult to more insult, Pearl River High School won the game by a score of 55-45.
