Little Rock (Ark.) Hall went on the road and took down Little Rock Parkview, 57-43, to clinch the 5A Central Conference championship. To celebrate, the victorious side brought a broom out onto the court (Hall coach Jon Coleman was actually waving it around in the game’s final minute) and began efforts to cut down the nets. Again, this was in the other team’s gym.
Obviously, this caused some friction. Security stepped in and stopped the nylon-trimming momentarily. Then a resourceful and jubilant player found a chair to stand on to cut the net.
Very unsafe. I remember a big part of school’s curriculum centering around not standing, running, or horsing around with scissors. So much has changed.
“It wasn’t a matter of trying to show anybody up. It was a matter of our kids working hard to clinch a conference championship,” Coleman said. “In the past, people have celebrated on other people’s courts. But our kids deserve this.”
Parkview Coach Al Flanigan, though, was not happy with Coleman.
“That’s petty,” Flanigan said. “That’s just like the coach, man. I would never in a million years do anything like that. I would never try to embarrass nobody. If I won the game, I’d just shake hands and go home. That’s what it’s all about.
“He ain’t got no respect for the game. But that’s alright. What goes around, comes around.”
Look, I enjoy fun and revelry as much as the next guy, but it is absolutely astounding that Hall thought its rival would be totally chill by the unusual display. Impressive to misread a room that severely.
The next time Parkview wins at Hall there should be some fireworks. Maybe actual fireworks.
