Faculty basketball participant Angel Reese was focused by social media haters after she refused to take part within the Louisiana State College and College of South Carolina battle throughout the 2024 SEC Ladies’s Match championship sport on Sunday, March 10.
Feelings have been excessive, leading to six gamers being ejected from the sport because of the scuffle. Followers believed she ought to have presumably been one of many women within the fisticuffs, notably since her teammate Flau’jae Johnson was on the heart of the melee.
Flau’jae had the ball throughout the fourth quarter, however it was stolen by South Carolina guard, MiLaysia Fulwiley. In response to being stripped, the 20-year-old Georgia native grabbed Fulwiley to gradual her down on what gave the impression to be a breakaway, committing a foul.
Consequently, the rapper-turned-athlete was despatched to the bench, however not earlier than she bumped South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins, a lady just like Johnson’s 5-foot-10 stature.
South Carolina heart Kamilla Cardoso noticed the bump and intervened, pushing Johnson to the bottom.
LSU and South Carolina gamers obtained right into a scuffle within the fourth quarter of the SEC Championship. pic.twitter.com/rXw1tb1jWM
— ESPN (@espn) March 10, 2024
The world erupted as college students from each side rushed onto the court docket to assist or defend their buddy. Amongst them was Flau’jae’s brother Trayron Lenorris Milton, who, regardless of not being a pupil, leaped over the barrier and jumped over the scorer’s desk to achieve the court docket and shield his sister.
The brother was later arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, in addition to third-degree assault and battery, in accordance with the Greenville County inmate search. Milton was granted a $1,087.50 money bond.
After the altercation, Cardoso was faraway from the sport. Moreover, 5 different gamers have been ejected for leaving the bench space. These gamers included South Carolina’s Chloe Kitts, Tessa Johnson, and Sakima Walker, in addition to LSU’s Aalyah Del Rosario and Janae Kent.
The headline-grabbing fracas spilled over to social media with individuals asking why Reese had not rushed the court docket to defend Flau’jae throughout the fracas. The baller stated on Monday, March 11, a day later, she selected to not be part of due to her standing.
“As an individual at my STATUS, typically it’s a must to stroll away from sure conditions,” the LSU star tweeted.
Including, “Thoughts you the play earlier than that I had rolled my ankle AGAIN and was already strolling to the bench. I ALWAYS journey for mine. I’m tremendous pleased with this crew & tremendous excited for march. #geauxtigers.”
As an individual at my STATUS, typically it’s a must to stroll away from sure conditions. Thoughts you the play earlier than that I had rolled my ankle AGAIN and was already strolling to the bench. I ALWAYS journey for mine. I’m tremendous pleased with this crew & tremendous excited for march. #geauxtigers 💜💛
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) March 11, 2024
One particular person wrote below her submit, “Not standing on enterprise.”
One other stated, “Bruh cmon now u we’re yanking hair on the court docket now u wanna say you humble to stroll away from a battle that began away from you.”
A separate video reveals Reese on digicam pulling the hair of one other South Carolina participant throughout the sport.
Let’s take a more in-depth look. pic.twitter.com/Sb4xWuhT2Y
— GamecockRetweeter (@bradsales312) March 10, 2024
Reese turned a public determine within the faculty basketball world after defeating Iowa within the 2023 NCAA championship sport. The LSU participant can also be remembered for waving her hand to the face of Iowa participant Caitlin Clark and pointing to her ring finger, the place her championship ring would quickly be positioned. She’s secured over a dozen NIL offers since, turning into the second-highest deal-making feminine athlete behind softball participant Lauren Burke.
Due to this fact, some individuals understood precisely the place Reese’s resolution to not jeopardize herself within the aftermath.
“I’m glad you walked away and didn’t have interaction in any of the mess. Strategy to be the larger particular person and selecting to take the excessive highway. Im a South Carolina fan however I’m an enormous fan of yours,” one particular person stated on X.
“Making an announcement is okay, however you don’t owe us a proof. We don’t doubt your loyalty or your spirit. Simply rise above all of it and maintain hooping laborious,” one other tweeted.
Regardless of strolling away from the battle, Reese did join with Flau’jae on the sidelines, in accordance with footage of Reese talking to Johnson after which hugging her simply earlier than LSU ladies’s assistant basketball coach Gary Redus II walked up.
They’ll by no means make me hate them #LSU Flaujae and Angel Reese 👏🏽 💜😊 pic.twitter.com/89C5zVVIQ8
— Fall (@AutumnBottomm) March 11, 2024
Throughout a post-game press convention, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey commented on the altercation, stating that 6-foot-7 Cardoso didn’t should get into the battle, particularly by pushing 5-foot-10 Johnson as laborious as she did.
“It’s ugly. It’s not good. Nobody desires to be part of that. Nobody desires to see that ugliness. However I can inform you this: I want she would have pushed Angel Reese. Don’t push a child.”
“I want she would have pushed Angel Reese. … You 6’8”, do not push any individual that little.”
Kim Mulkey speaks after Kamilla Cardoso pushed Flau’jae Johnson in LSU-SC scuffle 😳 pic.twitter.com/AOUaVlrbKS
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 10, 2024
“Don’t push any individual that little,” she added. “That was uncalled for for my part. Let these two women that have been jawing, allow them to go at it.”
Many didn’t just like the coach’s feedback.
“I completely get the ‘choose on somebody your personal dimension’ factor. However one thing about this white lady wanting to place Angel in a nasty scenario doesn’t sit proper with me. It’s given Mr Sweet from Django. Letting his finest ‘mandingo fighters’ battle to the loss of life,” one particular person wrote, including, “Okay. I could also be reaching a little bit…however that’s simply the place my thoughts went. Glad Angel stayed tf out of it.”
Daybreak Staley, the coach for South Carolina, additionally addressed the battle, however her remarks had a special tone.
“I haven’t been to the locker room but, however I imply Kamilla understands. She actually understands,” the Philadelphia native stated. “I feel for those who speak to Kamilla about issues, she’d in all probability say she let her feelings get the very best of her, and he or she’s obtained to deal with them higher.
“She’s obtained to be higher. She’s that essential to our crew, that essential to the state of ladies’s basketball. Kamilla’s a star, and we simply actually can’t have her able the place she’s within the locker room for something apart from halftime within the basketball video games,” Staley continued.
Addressing Johnson straight, “She simply apologized and stated she’s not that sort of participant. And I actually admire that, simply one thing that any individual received’t ever hear if I didn’t say something. And he or she’s not,” stated Staley. “She’s a extremely good particular person. Issues simply obtained escalated. I’ll take accountability for what occurred from our facet of it.”
As a result of she was ejected from the sport for preventing, Cardoso will probably be suspended from the Woman Gamecocks’ subsequent sport, which is able to come within the first spherical of the NCAA Ladies’s Match. Like her coach stated, the Brazilian heart did consider that she was working out of character.
“I want to lengthen my sincerest apologies for my actions throughout immediately’s sport,” Cardoso tweeted, assuring the league, division, and followers, “My habits was not consultant of who I’m as an individual or the South Carolina program, and I deeply remorse any discomfort or inconvenience it could have brought on.”
Cardosa says she takes “full accountability” for her actions and stated she is “dedicated to conducting” herself “with the utmost respect and sportsmanship sooner or later.”
I want to lengthen my sincerest apologies for my actions throughout immediately’s sport. My habits was not consultant of who I’m as an individual or the South Carolina program, and I deeply remorse any discomfort or inconvenience it could have brought on. I take full accountability for my…
— Kamilla_Cardoso (@Kamillascsilva) March 10, 2024
