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Mom Outraged After Her Daughter Is Suddenly Sucker-Punched By Youth Basketball Opponent

Mom Outraged After Her Daughter Is Suddenly Sucker-Punched By Youth Basketball Opponent
NBC News/YouTube

A mother was infuriated after watching a clip of her 15-year-old daughter getting sucker-punched by an opponent during a youth club basketball game.

The incident occurred in Garden Grove, California during an AVAC United girl's basketball game.


Avac United organizes games for teens between the ages of 13 to 16 across Southern California.

Both girls in the video are 15.

Alice Ham said her daughter suffered a concussion as a result of the incident. She claimed the mother of the other teenage girl encouraged the attack.

"THIS… this right here makes me SICK to my stomach," wrote Ham in an Instagram post.

"This happened to MY DAUGHTER at her game yesterday. There is absolutely no place for something like this in basketball, I don't care how famous you are!!"

You can watch the clip here.

"This mom told her daughter to 'go and hit her'," wrote Ham adding, "and my kid gets an unprovoked sucker punch."

"I'm sorry but it's everything that's wrong with youth sports. The girl and her mom showed absolutely no remorse and offered no apology. Youth sports needs to change."

The video showed Ham's daughter getting tangled up and falling to the floor during a play with an opponent whose father was identified as a former NBA player.

No fouls were called on the play.

The two girls got back on their feet and walked down the court, side by side. A woman was then heard yelling, "You better hit her."

Seconds later, the teen swung her arm and delivered a blow to Ham's daughter's face knocking her to the floor.


According to the NBC News clip below, Ham filed a police report.

youtu.be

A spokesperson for the Garden Grove Police Department said an investigation of the incident is ongoing.

Ham was elsewhere watching her other children play during the incident.

Ham, told KTLA she realized something was wrong when her daughter returned home after her basketball game disoriented. Teammates and other parents showed Ham the video.

She told ABC's Eyewitness News:

"I want the daughter and the mom held accountable. Because this type of behavior is reprehensible and cannot happen in youth sports."
Ham also claimed the opposing player's mother encouraged the assault because she could "hear" her voice in the video clip.
"I can hear pretty clearly the mom (in the video). I know it's the mom because the witnesses at the site told me."
"It's pretty clear that she tells her daughter you have to hit her for that. What 'that' is, I don't know. I don't know what the mom thinks she saw."


Lieutenant Mario Martinez of the Garden Grove Police Department told the Huffington Post:

"The video is disturbing to watch obviously."
Martinez added investigators would hold back on releasing some of the details since both girls involved are minors.




Ham's daughter missed school for several days following the incident but Ham said she looks forward to going back to school and playing basketball again soon.

Lawyer Brett Greenfield, who represents the family of the girl who threw the punch, suggested the family understands the seriousness of the situation.

Greenfield told NBC:

"We are in no way trying to downplay and/or disrespect the seriousness of this situation. What is vital to remember is that these are two very young minors involved."
"The family recognizes the seriousness of this incident and will continue to take every necessary step to manage this in a positive way."

Greenfield confirmed the girl is the 15-year-old daughter of former Chicago Bulls player Corey Benjamin.

He added:

"The comments on social media in response to this incident are a cause of great concern for both the minor and her family."
"We would respectfully request that she be given the benefit of the doubt and that her privacy be respected given her young age."

The CEO of Avac United, Gary Thomas, told KTLA the organization will cooperate with any investigation. They have banned the girl who punched Ham's daughter and her mother from AVAC events until further notice.

Thomas said:

"We're very sorry… we want everybody to feel safe. We want everyone to feel secure."
"This is an environment where kids should have fun and enjoy and be safe."

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