I linked to a story at NetsDaily.com earlier today that detailed how the New Jersey Nets have been booed at home. Here’s a reminder that no matter how bad fan support in New Jersey is, things can always be worse:
An Israeli basketball team fled to the locker room Tuesday as hundreds of fist-pumping, chanting Turkish fans protested the violence in Gaza.
The European Cup game between Bnei Hasharon and Turk Telekom was postponed because the Israeli team did not return to the court. There was no word on when or where the game would be played.
The fans chanted “God is Great” and “Killer Israel.” At least one fan threw his shoe at Israeli players but police used riot shields to protect them as they left the court. The Turkish players also headed to the locker room.
UPDATE: InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner (Via Ken Berger of CBSSports.com) spoke with one of the American-born members of the Israeli team:
“We are all good and safe. We are in the hotel right now with police out side protecting us… We were in the locker room for 3 hours waiting for the police escort to clear the street back to our hotel. They were throwing coins, pens, lighters, and one shoe during the warmups. We finished the introduction of players and shook the other team’s hands and then it got quiet in the gym for about a minute. Then the crowd rushed the court. The game was seconds from starting.”
