A Division III basketball player is now suspended indefinitely and banned from campus after hitting an opposing player with a vicious elbow during a game on Tuesday night.
Late in a loss to Nichols College, Fitchburg State's Kewan Platt hit Nate Tenaglia with a right elbow as he shot a 3-pointer. In the video posted on social media, Tenaglia, who made the shot, falls to the ground after being struck.
Video distributed on social media makes it appear play continued without any repercussions. However, according to those in attendance, Platt was ejected after picking up a technical foul earlier in the game between the Massachusetts schools.
"The Fitchburg State community is appalled by the conduct displayed during Tuesday night's home basketball game," Fitchburg State athletic director Matthew Burke said in a statement. "The player involved has been indefinitely suspended from the team and barred from campus, effective immediately. His behavior is antithetical to our community values and good sportsmanship. Fitchburg State does not tolerate behavior that violates those standards. The case is being reviewed at the student conduct level for consideration of further sanctions."
Nichols College, in its own statement, said Tenaglia was OK after the incident.
"We're very happy that the Nichols student-athlete involved in the incident, Nate Tenaglia, was unharmed and able to finish the contest," the statement said. "We are proud of the way our student-athletes handled the incident and did not overreact, instead allowing the officials to intervene and diffuse the situation. We are confident that Fitchburg State will hand down any disciplinary actions they feel are warranted."
According to Nichols spokesman Pete Divito, Tenaglia had guarded Platt throughout the game, frustrating him with his defense. Following the incident, Tenaglia finished the game after tests for a concussion were negative.
Divito said school officials were glad Tenaglia was OK and relieved "most of the team didn't see it" due to concerns about a potential altercation.
"The best we can gather was that it was frustration," Divito said about Platt's elbow. "There was no real set up to this. ... We're happy it didn't escalate into a brawl."
Platt's name has been removed from the Fitchburg State basketball program's website. He'd recently been given a player of the week award by the school's league, MASCAC. But the league has vacated that accolade.
"The MASCAC and Fitchburg State University take this incident very seriously," MASCAC commissioner Angela Baumann said in a statement. We are appalled by the actions of the student-athlete. ... His behavior goes against the MASCAC's mission, which includes good sportsmanship. On behalf of the MASCAC and Fitchburg State, we apologize to the Nichols College student-athlete, the team and institution."
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