Video footage has surfaced showing a violent incident [1] during a youth basketball game between two Bay Area teams, Tumakbo United and Payton’s Place. The incident occurred at the College of Alameda, prompting a police investigation into the assault.
The event was captured on camera during a match where a 13-year-old Tumakbo United player was stomped on the head by a player from Payton’s Place.
The victim, who had fallen to the ground while wrestling for the ball, was defenseless when the attack occurred.
The victim’s mother, Eva Guingab, recounted the incident to ABC7 [1], saying, “He was down on the floor, and this kid just came and just stomped on him and on his head. You could clearly see the size of his shoe on his face. My son suffered a concussion for the first time he played basketball.”
A photo taken after the game shows the victim with a red, shoe-shaped mark on the side of his head. He is now in concussion protocol and experiencing headaches.
Tumakbo United coach Michael Tolentino expressed his shock, stating, “I think everyone was just in shock. I think we all kind of went on the court and went to the coach of the other team to say, ‘What just happened? What’s going on?’”
The family of the Payton’s Place player who committed the assault defended his actions, claiming he was standing up for a teammate who he believed was being kicked and punched. However, the video has sparked a backlash, leading to cyberbullying of the boy by adults.
Black kid stomps on the head of an Asian kid during a basketball game.
Animalistic and sick behavior. pic.twitter.com/M4N6zPWV2m [2]
— iamyesyouareno (@iamyesyouareno) July 23, 2024 [3]
The offending player was immediately ejected from the gym. Payton’s Place issued a statement on Instagram, saying, “There is footage circulating of one of our team’s games this past weekend. Unfortunately, the footage is not a positive representation of our team and our values. The behavior that was exhibited by our player is not acceptable and is being taken seriously. We do not condone violence.”
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The statement continued, “Our players are expected to conduct themselves with integrity on and off the court. At this time, both teams are working together to resolve this matter.”
Both teams’ coaches confirmed that race was not a factor in the incident. The Guingab family has filed a report with the Alameda Police Department, which has initiated an investigation. The Alameda County District Attorney will determine whether to press charges after the investigation concludes.
Eva Guingab emphasized the importance of accountability, stating, “If we don’t say anything right now, this kid will think it’s OK to do it because he’s young. He thinks that walking away from this situation is OK, and it’s not OK.”
Payton’s Place announced on Tuesday that the player involved in the incident has been removed from the team.
“The player involved is no longer playing for the Payton’s Place team. His behavior was unexpected. We are working to assist in providing him resources to prevent this in the future. Violence has never been a part of our team. On behalf of the Payton’s Place Family, we sincerely apologize to the player injured in this incident, his family, and all those impacted.”