SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Sierra Canyon’s game on Monday at the Hoophall Classic was briefly stopped after someone in the crowd threw a piece of debris in the direction of LeBron James Jr.
It’s unclear what was thrown, whether it was food or a piece of trash, but it hit James as he was waiting to inbound the ball from the sideline. The referee immediately stopped the game and summoned a nearby police officer. Play then resumed.
The officer asked members of the crowd to help identify the offender but didn’t receive much cooperation. The officer later told ESPN they couldn’t figure out who threw the debris. At the next stoppage in play, a referee came over to the officer and asked him to keep an extra set of eyes on that section of the crowd.
No further incidents happened.
LeBron James, who attended Monday’s game before his Los Angeles Lakers met the Boston Celtics, responded on Twitter after the clip went viral.
Hating has no age limit! 🤦🏾♂️. #JamesGang is build for it and well equipped. As we proceed 👑 https://t.co/6OzvGTxDEW
— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 20, 2020
No. 14 Sierra Canyon (California) suffered its third loss of the season on Monday, falling to No. 13 Paul VI (Virginia) 70-62. James came off the bench and played 13 minutes.
Since James enrolled at Sierra Canyon, the Trailblazers have been the most popular show in high school basketball. Led by five-star Kentucky signee B.J. Boston and uncommitted top-five senior Ziaire Williams, the team has routinely played in sold-out arenas. The Trailblazers’ Thanksgiving Hoopfest game had to be moved to American Airlines Arena in Dallas, and they played in front of 17,000 people against Minnehaha Academy at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Both games this weekend at the Hoophall Classic attracted standing-room-only crowds.
James, a freshman, didn’t speak after the game, but his teammates addressed the attention he receives.
“He never lets anybody faze him. You’d be surprised all the stuff he has to go through,” Williams said. “It’s not fair, you know. He doesn’t let it faze him at all. Really, I learned that from him. Honestly, he teaches me about that stuff, and he’s younger than me.”
“He’s good with it,” Boston said. “He just comes in every day, ready to work, get better every day. Not worried about the outside and just plays his game.”
Source : ESPN
