US-China 'goodwill' Basketball Match Erupts In Violence

BEIJING: What began as a goodwill trip to Beijing for the Georgetown University men's basketball team turned violent Thursday (August 18) night, when its exhibition game against Chinese Bayi Rockets deteriorated into an ugly fight, Chinese media reported. Georgetown coach John Thompson pulled his players off the court with 9 minutes 32 seconds left in the 4th quarter and the scores tied at 64.

 

 

While US and Chinese diplomats struggled to find common ground on key issues, from the valuation of the Chinese currency to China's military rise, it was hoped that a mutual love of basketball, which has an estimated 400 million fans in China, might provide a positive backdrop to an awkward visit. Here is the video of this awkward fight.