The Punch Heard Around Ohio: Reynoldsburg Chooses Winning Over Accountability

The views expressed in this op-ed are those of 270-315 Sports Founder, Eric Michael.

It was the punch viewed around the state. On Saturday, a Reynoldsburg player punched a Hilliard Bradley player below the waist after falling down when he was crossed over. It was immediate and blatant, so much so that even the game announcers took notice and discussion ensued.

The video of the cheap shot went viral, amassing over a million views on social media. As outrage grew and the controversy intensified, the Reynoldsburg school district remained silent for three days, offering no timely response to the incident.

The OHSAA remained silent. The school district remained silent. Finally, three days later, both released statements addressing the incident.

The Reynoldsburg school district acknowledged the unsportsmanlike act, stating: “At the most recent basketball game, a Reynoldsburg Boys Basketball player acted in a way that lacked sportsmanship. At the time, the player was given an intentional foul, but upon further review after the game, the coaching staff felt the action warranted additional consequences.”

It continued with, “We are taking appropriate steps to address the situation and ensure that all our athletes understand the importance of ethical conduct and responsible representation of their families and our District. Reynoldsburg City Schools does not condone players’ unsportsmanlike conduct. Our student-athletes represent our District and community and are considered mentors and role models for our younger students. We expect our student-athletes to uphold the highest sportsmanship standards on and off the court.”

The OHSAA stated that they are in communication with the district and school administrators regarding the incident. They added that, depending on the actions taken at the school level, the OHSAA may consider further disciplinary measures.

Now that both sides have spoken, the question remains: Why did it take so long? And more importantly, why did it take attention that it did for a response to finally come?

The OHSAA’s statement suggests they are monitoring the situation, and it’s clear they are placing the responsibility on Reynoldsburg to act first. This raises an even bigger issue: Was Reynoldsburg ever planning to address this at all if the video hadn’t gone viral? Was there an attempt to quietly move on until outside pressure forced action?

Another pressing question: Why was the player allowed to return to the game after the incident? If the act was unsportsmanlike enough for the school to later issue a statement and impose “additional consequences”, why wasn’t that same standard applied in the moment?

By keeping the player on the bench and eventually back in the game, Reynoldsburg’s coaching staff sent a message, whether intentional or not, that the immediate goal of winning was more important than holding their own player accountable. If the coaching staff truly believed the act was unacceptable, why did it take a postgame review, social media backlash, and three days of silence to reach that conclusion?

We can debate the officials’ role in all of this. Should the player have been ejected? Absolutely. But in fairness, high school officials don’t have the luxury of instant replay. In real time, they may not have fully grasped the severity of what happened. That said, the OHSAA has likely addressed this with them behind closed doors.

Someone inside that team, whether a coach or a staff member, could have stepped up and handled it. Instead, silence prevailed. In that moment, winning mattered more than accountability.

Reynoldsburg shouldn’t be forced to forfeit. They won the game, and even Hilliard Bradley has acknowledged and accepted that. One player’s actions don’t define an entire roster.

However, what does reflect on the team, and the school district, is the failure to address those actions in real time. The ones with the power to hold him accountable chose not to. That decision speaks louder than the incident itself. Reynoldsburg must show it prioritizes sportsmanship and ethics over winning.

Simply put, if this athlete is even in the building at Taft Coliseum on Thursday for the regional semifinals, it will be clear that Reynoldsburg has chosen to sweep this under the rug rather than uphold accountability.