A conference game between the Radford men’s basketball team and Gardner-Webb was briefly delayed Wednesday night when a young fan stormed the court and had to be escorted away by one of the Highlanders.
With just a minute left in the second half and Radford leading by three, a young fan burst onto the field and began running around as players and coaches looked on in confusion.
Radford Highlanders head coach Darris Nichols directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first half at Colonial Life Arena on Dec. 22, 2024. (Jeff Blake/Imagn Images)
“And we’ve got a kid on the floor,” the game’s broadcasters said in shock. “The sixth man is on the floor here. I don’t know who the child is. Do we have parents?”
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The young fan continued to run around before Radford guard Truth Harris, a redshirt senior, stepped in and picked up the toddler before handing him off to an employee near the court.
The distraction didn’t derail the Highlanders, who won the game 79-75 to improve to 3-1 in Big South Conference play and tied for the top spot in the standings with High Point and UNC Asheville.
The Big South released a statement after the game about the “pint-sized” suspension, adding that the child was safely reunited with his parents.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL FANS BREAK THE SILENCE, STORM THE COURT AS PART OF UNIQUE CHRISTMAS TRADITION
“In an unprecedented moment of pint-sized excitement, a young ‘fan’ stormed the court with a minute remaining in last night’s exciting Gardner-Webb vs. Radford basketball game,” the statement said.
“The regular, estimated to be about three feet tall and just shy of kindergarten eligibility, displayed impressive agility as he evaded staff and confused players. Thanks to the quick thinking of a Radford player (and apparently aspiring babysitter), the situation safely resolved as the child was carried off the field.”
Radford Highlanders guard Truth Harris (4) drives around South Carolina Gamecocks guard Morris Ugusuk (15) during the second half at Colonial Life Arena on Dec. 22, 2024. (Jeff Blake/Imagn Images)
Radford coach Darris Nichols joked after the game that he pleaded with the officials not to penalize the team for the young fan’s excitement.
“It was a big part of the game,” he said, laughing. “When the kid ran onto the field, I just said to the referee, ‘Please don’t pass me a technical one for this.”
