Imagine the surprise and confusion when a high school girls basketball team failed to show up for their own home game, leaving everyone—from fans to opposing teams—scratching their heads in disbelief. This unexpected turn of events occurred on a Thursday at a New Jersey high school during a much-anticipated match against division rival Snyder, set to start at 4:30 p.m.
Bayonne High School’s team made their arrival in Jersey City at 3:45 p.m., prepared for the competition ahead. Coach James Turner led his girls through the usual pregame rituals, which included warm-up exercises, clapping, and high-fives that pumped up the enthusiastic crowd. With fans filtering in and the gym buzzing with excitement, everything seemed ready for an exciting game night. The referees came in around 4:20 p.m., adding to the anticipation.
Yet, despite all the preparations, the one thing that was distinctly absent was the home team, Snyder’s players, who never appeared to take the court. "The game was on. Everybody was there for gameday," said Coach Turner, visibly perplexed by the situation. He noted that not only the athletic director and principal were present, but also the game day staff had diligently set everything up. The only missing element was the team itself.
This incident marked a rare and unprecedented situation in Turner’s near two-decade coaching career. After waiting until around 5 p.m., when it was clear the game wouldn’t happen, the referees signed the scorebook and departed, leaving many unanswered questions in their wake. "Never in my history of playing, coaching, or spectating have I seen anything like this," Turner remarked, expressing his disbelief that he hadn’t received any prior notification from Snyder about the game cancellation.
When asked for clarification on why the girls didn’t make it to the game, Snyder Athletic Director Sean Fallon chose to remain tight-lipped, only suggesting that the match would likely be recorded as a forfeit for Snyder. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association acknowledged the situation and indicated they were awaiting results from an ongoing investigation by the conference.
Interestingly, this no-show occurred just two days after Snyder’s head coach, Reggie Quinn, received an indefinite suspension due to an incident that transpired during a previous game where Snyder faced Hudson Catholic, eventually losing 57-47. During Quinn's absence, the assistant coach, Dennis DiMascio, was appointed to lead the team. Although both schools described the incident as involving some spectators too close to the court, details remain fuzzy as video footage does not clarify what sparked the controversy leading to Quinn's suspension.
As of now, Coach Quinn has not responded to requests for comment regarding the matter. "It’s an unfortunate situation for our girls," Fallon stated, adding that he would not comment further on the absence of the team during the scheduled game. However, he assured that things would proceed as planned for Saturday’s game, where Snyder, boasting a record of 10-5, is set to visit Union City, currently holding a 9-14 record, for an 11 a.m. tip-off. "The girls will be back on the court on Saturday," Fallon confirmed, looking ahead to a brighter game day.
