To finish off their perfect season, the Norman High School girl’s basketball team became state champions. The team won the Oklahoma 6A state championship after defeating Bixby, 48-37. Their incredible accomplishment comes just days after a game broadcaster used incredibly offensive and racist language while describing the team.
Before the quarterfinal game started, the Tigers elected to take a knee while the national anthem played. A broadcaster on NFHS Network who clearly didn’t know the mic was still on let the audience know exactly what he thought. He was caught saying he hoped Norman got their a**es kicked, cursing at them, and using the vilest language possible.
The WNBPA issues a statement supporting the Tigers and all Tulsa Union high school girl’s basketball teams.
The broadcaster blamed a spike in his blood sugar for his racist comment. Yes, a white man really tried to blame Type 1 Diabetes for the racism that came out of his mouth. His overall apology was really just a bunch of excuses including the classic I didn’t know the mic was on. Absent from his statement was an apology to the young athletes he directed his hatred at. There hasn’t been any scientific evidence that a spike in blood sugar and racism are correlated. It’s comical the excuses people will use to explain why they said something so blatantly racist. People who feel this way do not deserve the privilege of working in sports.
The school district superintendent issued a statement supporting the athletes’ right to express their views. The mayor of Norman Breea Clark also commended the young women for their bravery and resiliency. Prior to the title game, the Tigers chose to kneel again before the start of the game. This time, the team wore “This is why we kneel” shirts. Congratulations to the Norman High School girl’s basketball team on showing grace and courage in the face of hate. This is the school’s second consecutive state title.
