By Cameron Dubin and Noah Whiting
Managing Editors of Sports
Last Friday, the Newton North and Catholic Memorial Boys Basketball playoff game garnered national attention after their respective fan sections chanted hateful remarks. The Tigers fan section began shouting “Sausage fest”, a reference to the fact that Catholic Memorial is an all boys school. In retaliation, the CM fan section chanted “You killed Jesus”, alluding to Newton’s large Jewish population. After the game, every student in the Catholic Memorial fan section apologized to the North principal; additionally, no CM fans were allowed to attend the Semifinal game at the TD Garden.
Following the incident, Denebola was given the chance to sit down with Sophomore and Newton North Basketball player Ethan Wright to further discuss the events.
Q: What happened during the game when the chants began? What was your reaction?
A: “As it was happening I kinda didn’t really notice. I mean I heard it and I was like “Oh what are they saying?” I didn’t really understand and it wasn’t until after the game that I really realized the extent of what they actually said and how hurtful the words were. It had a pretty negative effect on the whole game. It was already pretty bad because of the loss, that just added to it. It was just, i don’t know, not good.”
Q: How did it affect you and your team’s game and how did you guys respond in general to the chants?
A: “I wouldn’t say it really affected our game very much. It definitely had an emotional effect after the game, especially because a couple of our captains are Jewish and there are a bunch of Jews on the team. It kinda hit them on a more personal note. It’s just something that you don’t really hear that much and you don’t realize how hurtful it could be until it happens.”
Q: Have you ever felt threatened by a crowd or a fan?
A: “Threatened? No. I mean, they can get in your head, but not really threatening.”
Q: At what point do you think heckling and crowd chants cross the line?
A: “I would say when it gets personal, maybe. When they make it about your religion, your race, the stuff you can’t control. Maybe like your weight or the way you look. Maybe not the way you look but like, if they’re making fun of like your ethnicity or your religion, I think that’s kinda crossing the line.”
Q: Heckling is a part of the game and while fan-player heckling is kinda discouraged by the administration, what do you think of fan base to fan base heckling?
A: “I think it’s fun and I think it’s fair until one of the sides crosses the line, which unfortunately seemed to happen. And I think it’s usually fun mannered and makes the game more exciting. So I’m a fan.”
