California Teenager Injured After Vicious Sucker-Punch By Youth Basketball Opponent

By Samantha in News On 17th November 2021
advertisement

This California mom is furious after watching a clip where her fifteen-year-old teenage daughter gets vicious sucker-punched by an opponent during a youth club basketball game.

The disturbing incident happened in Garden Grove, California during an AVAC United girl's basketball game. Avac United organizes games for teenagers between 13-16 across Southern California. 

NBC News/YouTube

Alice Ham, the mom says her daughter suffered a concussion because of the punch. She also claims that the mother of another teenage girl encouraged the attack. 

"THIS… this right here makes me SICK to my stomach," wrote Ham in an Instagram post.

"This happened to MY DAUGHTER at her game yesterday. There is absolutely no place for something like this in basketball, I don't care how famous you are!!"

NBC News/YouTube
advertisement
Follow On Google News

"This mom told her daughter to 'go and hit her'," wrote Ham adding, "and my kid gets an unprovoked sucker punch."

"I'm sorry but it's everything that's wrong with youth sports. The girl and her mom showed absolutely no remorse and offered no apology. Youth sports needs to change."

The video showed her daughter getting tangled up and falling on the floor in a painful manner during the game with an opponent whose father is also a famous former NBA player.

No fouls were even called on the play.

The two girls then stand back on their feet and walk down the court side by side while a woman is heard yelling: "You better hit her."

NBC News/YouTube
advertisement

Only a few seconds later, shockingly the teenager swung her arm and delivered a blow to Ham's daughter's face knocking her to the floor.

A spokesperson for the Garden Grove Police Department said an investigation of the incident is underway.

Ham says that she was elsewhere watching her other children play during the incident.

Ham in an interview with KTLA said she realized something was terribly wrong as when her daughter returned home after her basketball game disoriented. It was later that teammates and other parents showed Ham the video.

She told ABC's Eyewitness News:

"I want the daughter and the mom held accountable. Because this type of behavior is reprehensible and cannot happen in youth sports."

NBC News/YouTube
Follow On Twitter

Ham says that the opposing player's mother also encouraged the attack as she could hear the voice in the video clip.

"I can hear pretty clearly the mom (in the video). I know it's the mom because the witnesses at the site told me."
"It's pretty clear that she tells her daughter you have to hit her for that. What 'that' is, I don't know. I don't know what the mom thinks she saw."

NBC News/YouTube

Lieutenant Mario Martinez of the Garden Grove Police Department told the Huffington Post:

"The video is disturbing to watch obviously."

Martinez also added that investigators would hold back on releasing some of the details since both girls involved are minors.

advertisement

Ham says following the incident, her daughter missed school for several days but she looks forward to going back to school and playing basketball again soon.

Lawyer Brett Greenfield, who represents the family of the girl who threw the punch, suggested the family understands the seriousness of the situation.

Greenfield told NBC:

"We are in no way trying to downplay and/or disrespect the seriousness of this situation. What is vital to remember is that these are two very young minors involved."
"The family recognizes the seriousness of this incident and will continue to take every necessary step to manage this in a positive way."

Greenfield also confirmed the girl is the 15-year-old daughter of former Chicago Bulls player Corey Benjamin.

He added:

"The comments on social media in response to this incident are a cause of great concern for both the minor and her family."
"We would respectfully request that she be given the benefit of the doubt and that her privacy be respected given her young age."

The CEO of Avac United, Gary Thomas further told KTLA the organization will cooperate with any investigation. They have already banned the girl who punched Ham's daughter and her mother from AVAC events until further notice.

advertisement

advertisement

Thomas said:

"We're very sorry… we want everybody to feel safe. We want everyone to feel secure."
"This is an environment where kids should have fun and enjoy and be safe."