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VIDEO: Fitchburg State player suspended, barred from campus after violent foul

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A Division III basketball player has been suspended indefinitely and banned from campus following a violent, cheap-shot foul that was committed towards the end of a game on Tuesday night.

Towards the end of of a Division III game between Nichols and Fitchburg State, reigning MASCAC Player of the Week Kewan Platt committed one of the ugliest cheap shots that we’ve seen in college hoops in recent years.

Down by ten with less than three minutes remaining, Platt hits Nate Tenaglia with a forearm to the face after glancing over his shoulder to make sure that the ref was looking the other direction.

Tenaglia hit the three. Platt, a 6-foot-4 junior and, ironically enough, criminal justice major, was ejected from the game.

“The Fitchburg State community is appalled by the conduct displayed during Tuesday night’s home basketball game,” the school said in a statement released on Wednesday. “The player involved has been indefinitely suspended from the team and barred from campus, effective immediately. His behavior is antithetical to our community values and good sportsmanship. Fitchburg State does not tolerate behavior that violates those standards. The case is being reviewed at the student conduct level for consideration of further sanctions.”

Tenaglia was deemed healthy enough to finish the game, and was the player that made the free throws after Platt was ejected.

“We were troubled by the unfortunate incident that occurred at Tuesday evening’s men’s basketball game at Fitchburg State University,” Nichols College athletics director Chris Colvin said in a statement. “The Nichols College student-athlete involved was able to complete the game, and we continue to monitor his health. We are proud of the way our student-athletes handled the incident and that they did not allow it to escalate. We are aware that the Fitchburg State administration is handling the matter.”

What precipitated the incident was a play at the other end of the floor where Tenaglia raked down on Platt’s arms as he shot a three. Platt airballed the shot, while turning to the referee to complain about the no-call.