A conference matchup 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 out 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 as players and coaches looked on in confusion.
Radford Highlanders head coach Darris Nichols leads his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first half at Colonial Life Arena on December 22, 2024. (Jeff Blake/Image Images)
“And we have a child on the field,” the match announcers said in shock. “The sixth man is here on the ground. I don’t know whose son he is. Do we have parents?”
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The young fan continued running before Radford guard Truth Harris, a redshirt senior, stepped in and picked up the little boy before handing him to a staff member near the court.
The distraction didn’t derail the Highlanders, who won the game 79-75 to improve to 3-1 in Great Southern Conference play and tie for first place in the standings with High Point and UNC Asheville.
The Big South issued a statement after the game about the “small disruption,” adding that the boy was safely reunited with his parents.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL FANS BREAK THE SILENCE AND STORM THE COURT AS PART OF A UNIQUE CHRISTMAS TRADITION
“In an unprecedented and truly tiny moment of emotion, a young ‘fan’ stormed the court with one minute remaining in last night’s exciting Gardner-Webb vs. Radford basketball game,” the statement read.
“The amateur, who was estimated to be around three feet tall and just shy of the requirements to be eligible for kindergarten, showed impressive agility as he dodged staff and baffled players. Thanks to the quick thinking of a Radford player (and apparent babysitter wannabe), the situation was safely resolved when the boy was taken off the field.”
Radford Highlanders guard Truth Harris (4) drives around South Carolina Gamecocks guard Morris Ugusuk (15) in the second half at Colonial Life Arena on Dec. 22, 2024. (Jeff Blake/Image Images)
Radford coach Darris Nichols joked after the game that he begged the referees not to penalize the team because of the young fans’ excitement.
“It was a big part of the game,” he said, laughing. “When the boy ran onto the field, I told the referee: ‘Please don’t give me a technician for this.'”
