Division II basketball player Isaiah Hill committed one of the dirtiest cheap shots you’ll ever see on a basketball court last weekend and shockingly was not even whistled for a foul.
A newly released cell phone video shows, Hill, a senior guard from St. Leo University, sucker-punching Nova Southeastern University junior Nick Smith as Smith was roaming around the perimeter trying to cover Hill off the ball.
Despite the massive blow to Smith’s face, the referees didn’t even blow a whistle and play continued as Smith fell down to the floor in a crumpled heap. Smith would later return to the game.
St. Leo’s head coach Lance Randall said Hill was ‘suspended for the rest of 2019’, which sounds like a stern Myles Garrett type indefinite suspension at first glance, but there are roughly only three weeks left in the calendar year, so Hill would only miss two games if that is the case.
The St. Leo AD issued this statement:
“Isaiah’s conduct on the court is not an accurate representation of Saint Leo’s core values. St. Leo University holds its students to high standards of moral and ethical conduct as a reflection of its Benedictine values. Upon review of Isaiah’s actions this past Saturday, he will not represent St. Leo University in competition for the remainder of 2019.”
The St. Leo President then followed up with:
“I support the decision of our coach and athletics administration. This type of conduct will not be tolerated. I am saddened by this event as this behavior does not reflect who we are at St. Leo University and apologize for any comments that suggest otherwise.”
Twitter was quickly outraged by the lack of punitive measures towards Hill for the punch, essentially getting two games for blatantly injuring another player in a stunt that defied any possible explanation in the realm of basketball terms. He didn't 'accidentally' elbow another player, or 'accidentally' give a forearm shiver during a moving screen, he literally punched a defender's lights out.
A Twitter user screenshotted a tweet from the President of St. Leo, Jeff Senese, that read “Posting one out of context video when your team violently fouls, takes constant cheap shots and disrespects you in an unsportsmanlike manner every minute of the game is cowardly and weak! #SaintLeo.”
The tweet was later deleted.