The End of Kewan Platt’s College Hoops Career

A film maker, two authors, a TV producer, a disability rights advocate, a member of the Massachusetts Senate, a judge on the Massachusetts General Court, an entrepreneur, two actors and a retired brigadier general are among the notable alumni listed on Fitchburg State University’s Wikipedia page.  These are people who have gone on to do good things, people of whom the university (founded in 1891 as an all-female teachers’ school) can feel proud. Kewan Platt is unlikely to ever be so honored. By his actions in a basketball game on November 13, 2018, he brought FSU notoriety and ill-repute.

That night at the Falcons’ Parkinson Gymnasium, the opponent was Nichols College. It is even older (1815), is smaller (1,570 students vs. FSU’s 6,818) and is ranked more highly by U.S. News & World Report. The Bisons and Falcons play in different conferences, but they have met almost 40 times in basketball. The FSU athletic department purports to “develop the whole person” and “promote student learning, leadership and development,” according to its mission statement.

Low-grade college hoops

This otherwise obscure NCAA Division III (non-scholarship) game which took on such significance was witnessed by 250 fans, although the estimate seems rather generous if one views the now-famous 55-second clip. Platt (a 6′ 4″, 180-pound junior) is one of the principals. The other is Nate Tenaglia (a 5′ 9″, 160-pound sophomore). FSU had already played two games, whereas it was the season opener for Nichols.  Another pertinent fact is that Platt is black and Tenaglia is European-American. The Bisons’ Scott Faucher must have been excited since this was his first game as a head coach.

Let’s review the proceedings. With about three minutes left and Nichols ahead by 10, Platt attempted a step-back three-point shot. It was woefully off-target, missing the rim by at least a foot. Tenaglia had been guarding him, but there was no contact. That did not prevent Platt from turning to the ref and complaining that no foul had been called. As he did so, the other nine players began racing to the other end of the court. Every basketball coach in the world—probably starting with Dr. James Naismith—has drilled it into his players: “If we miss a shot and they rebound, get back on defense! Hustle!” Platt, as I said, chose to bitch about a non-existent foul instead. One of the Bisons rebounded and threw the ball to guard Marcos Echevarria. He dribbled down court and passed to a wide-open Tenaglia in the left corner. Just as easy as you please, he drilled a three and put his team up by 13. As the ball was going through the net, Platt trotted toward Tenaglia and glanced over his right shoulder at one of the three referees (William Flowers, Julian Scott or Jonathan Zanquis, I’m not sure which) standing on the baseline. Then, in a move that Conor McGregor might envy, he delivered a vicious elbow to Tenaglia’s chin. The Nichols player went straight down, writhing in pain. Platt made a 90-degree turn and jogged to the other end. There was a pair of announcers, both European-American. Two or maybe even three seconds passed before one of them said, “Whoa!” The other responded calmly: “Personal foul there against Platt. Tenaglia on the ground here. Took a big hit from Platt. I’m not sure what happened.”

Blinded by the light maybe

Not sure what happened? The young man either was not watching—obviously not the case—or preferred to ignore one of the most egregious assaults in the history of American college sports. (I do not exaggerate. Platt’s wicked shot closely resembled what Wilbanks Smith of Oklahoma A&M did to Johnny Bright of Drake in a 1951 football game. The difference is that Smith was a European-American racist trying to hold off integration. With the passage of 67 years, that process is long complete; of the 10 players on the court at Parkinson Gymnasium, one was Hispanic, two were European-American and seven were black.) This simply could not have been missed. Echevarria came over to his teammate, helped him up and expostulated with the ref. Flowers, Scott and Zanquis remained at that end of the court, choosing not to go straight to Platt and tell him he was out of the game. One of the Bisons did go to the other end, but whether he confronted Platt, it’s impossible to tell. Tenaglia, who it must be admitted has a very strong chin, got up. While he was undoubtedly angry, he made no effort to chase Platt and retaliate. None of the Nichols players did. Platt was ejected, Tenaglia went to the line and hit two free throws, and the Bisons won the game 84-75.

The clip went viral, as they say, and ESPN, NBC, Yahoo and numerous other media outlets featured it prominently. Nichols’ athletic director, Chris Colvin, issued a weak statement saying he was “troubled by the unfortunate incident” between these two student-athletes. Faucher, happy to get his first win as a college head coach, reported that Tenaglia did not suffer a concussion and downplayed it; in post-game interviews, he wore a big smile. FSU, to its credit, said it was “appalled” by what Platt had done, kicked him off the team and barred him from campus.

Apology via Instagram

Two days later, Platt offered an apology on his Instagram account: “I hereby want to apologize and show my deep regret upon my actions that occurred during the game against Nichols College the other night. What I did is totally unacceptable and not justified in any way. I got frustrated and lost control over my behavior. I know these words cannot undo my wrongdoings. In the future I promise to make better choices.”

One ESPN talking head called his words “heart-felt and sincere,” but I disagree. Heart-felt and sincere would have been traveling to the Nichols College campus in Dudley, Massachusetts, finding Tenaglia and begging his forgiveness. In person and face-to-face is better than using Instagram. I think it was composed by a lawyer who hopes this will all blow over soon and no criminal charges will be brought. Joseph D. Early Jr., the Worcester County prosecutor, has made no comment of which I am aware (same for FSU’s coach, Titus Manderson) so it appears that Platt will not face justice. I am greatly displeased. Who cares if this premeditated assault took place in an athletic arena rather than on the street or in a home? No less vexing is the fact that a black attacked a European-American and nary a word was said. The three black refs were startlingly nonchalant, as were the two European-American announcers. Faucher laughed it off. I would be curious to know the views of Platt’s former teammates, guys like Kameron Jimenez-Fox, Tyrell St. John, Nicholas Tracy and Jonathan Perez.

I think of myself as a liberal-minded person loath to paint with a broad brush. But like Johnny Cash, I keep my eyes wide open all the time. This allows me to see, and what I saw here was an unmitigated neo-racist attack.