Pioneer assistant Matt Felicia reaches for Jibreel Hussein after a heated exchange on the court following the game at Pioneer on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
- Related: Alleged racial slur leads to brief altercation between Pioneer players and Temperance Bedford fans
Temperance Bedford High School principal Scott Stalker said Wednesday afternoon that administrators from his school and Pioneer High School have been in communication regarding the altercation Tuesday night following a boys basketball game at Pioneer.
Stalker said the two parties will determine if any investigations are necessary.
Stalker was present at Tuesday’s game, where Pioneer players had to be restrained during a postgame incident with Bedford fans. Pioneer coach Rex Stanczak said a racial slur was directed at Pioneer player Jibreel Hussein. Hussein attempted a dunk at the buzzer with his team up by three, and later pointed at his jersey in front of the Bedford student section.
Stalker said he spent the entire game within 15 feet of the Bedford student section and “didn’t hear any racial comments communicated at any time.”
“The Bedford High School players, coaches, students and parents were under control,” Stalker said.
He declined to say what he witnessed as precipitating events to the altercation.
Stalker was critical of public comments that were made following the incident. Stanczak told AnnArbor.com that “someone’s got to do something about these Bedford fans. I understand that they’re from a little different area of the world." Stalker did not specifically mention Stanczak.
“The issue, in my opinion, should not be used to make generalized statements about either school,” Stalker said.
Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.