Georgetown, Chinese team meet a day after brawl

A day after a wild brawl marred an exhibition game between Georgetown and the Bayi Rockets, representatives from the teams met in Beijing.

Georgetown coach John Thompson III was joined by Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson in a Friday meeting described by the university as “cordial and friendly” and “amicable.” Handshakes were exchanged. So were autographed basketballs from each team.

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF BRAWL

The friendly scene was markedly different than what unfolded on the court in the second game of Georgetown’s goodwill tour of China. The game degenerated in a chaotic brawl, complete with thrown chairs, numerous punches, stomps and a shower of bottles as Thompson rushed his team off the court.

The game ended in a tie. No members of Georgetown’s team or staff were injured.

“My understand is that it’s all cleared up,” Chinese vice foreign minister Cui Tiankao told the Associated Press. “We’re pleased about this outcome.”

Despite a widely-disseminated Associated Press report to the contrary, there won’t a rematch between Georgetown and Bayi during the tour. A second meeting was cancelled prior to Thursday’s fracas.

“It was not changed as a result of the situation,” Georgetown spokesman Mex Carey wrote in an email from China, “but had been changed before that.”

Georgetown faces the Liaoning Dinosaurs in at the Nike Sports Festival in Shanghai on Sunday.

Chinese basketball commentator Su Qun told the Associated Press fault for the brawl went beyond those on the court.

“It’s not correct for players to fight,” he told the Associated Press. “But we see fighting occasionally and it is often because of management problems in sports teams. It’s important that teams have strict rules on discipline.”

Georgetown is in the midst of a 10-day goodwill tour of China to strengthen the relationship of China and the United States through sports. The melee occurred a day after Vice President Joe Biden the Ambassador to China Gary Locke visited with the team.