Update from UALR Coach Steve Shields' press conference after Thursday's game. Shields did not find out that Josh Hagins would be suspended until sometime on Thursday.
Shields said: " The only thing I’ll say is that we’ve got to win with class. Josh is a classy young man. He’s an excellent young man. We’re excited that he’s a part of our family and our program. He made a mistake after the game at UTA. He’s very apologetic for it. We’re excited to get him back tomorrow."
Here’s what we know. UALR sophomore guard Josh Hagins was suspended on Thursday and did not play in the Trojans’ Sun Belt Conference game against South Alabama.
Shields said: " The only thing I’ll say is that we’ve got to win with class. Josh is a classy young man. He’s an excellent young man. We’re excited that he’s a part of our family and our program. He made a mistake after the game at UTA. He’s very apologetic for it. We’re excited to get him back tomorrow."
Here’s what we know. UALR sophomore guard Josh Hagins was suspended on Thursday and did not play in the Trojans’ Sun Belt Conference game against South Alabama.
We don’t know why. And since no one is talking about why, we are left
to speculate.
Here is the statement released by UALR. Note the wording used.
“UALR Director of Athletics Chris Peterson has announced sophomore men’s basketball player Josh Hagins will serve a one-game suspension for his actions following the team’s game at UT Arlington on Saturday, Jan. 4. The suspension will be enforced during tonight’s game against South Alabama at the Jack Stephens Center."
“I appreciate the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s commitment to sportsmanship regarding this matter,” said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Karl Benson.
“Josh is a fine young man whose actions following the UT Arlington game were not consistent with our department’s code of conduct policy, and in addition violated the Sun Belt Conference’s sportsmanship code,” said Peterson.”
I said to note the wording because of what it doesn’t say. It doesn’t
say UALR suspended him. It doesn’t even say Peterson suspended him.
This has Sun Belt Conference suspension written all over it.
But what did Hagins do? Best we can speculate is the actions that occurred
just after Hagins hit the game winning jump shot against Texas-Arlington on
Saturday. As the shot went in, Hagins turned and was yelling as he pointed
toward some fans seated around the center court area.
Unfortunately, the video
where you can see this comes off the UALR Coaches Show and the quality is so bad
that it’s difficult to make much out.
Hagins was quiet via Twitter, where he’s pretty active, most of the
day. But just before tipoff tonight, he sent three Tweets.
“I apologize to the Trojan Nation for letting you down. I’m sorry Mom for embarrassing you.”
“I want to thank my team and my family for Forgiving me. I will make up for this with unbelievable effort and respect for the game starting today. Go Trojans!”
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.”
I’ve seen the Sun Belt take out suspensions without much explanation.
Years ago, UALR’s Darius “Too Tall” Eason threw the ball up in the air after a
UALR overtime loss at the University of New Orleans. The ball landed in the
crowd and apparently hit a fan. Eason was then suspended for the first half of
the next game.
In the case of Hagins, we really don’t know what he did. But since we
weren’t told otherwise, we believe he’ll be back on Saturday vs. Troy.
