New details surrounding a scuffle involving the Auburn men’s basketball team on board a plane that resulted in the flight being turned around have shed some light on the extent of the altercation.
The No. 11 Tigers were en route to Houston where they were scheduled to play against the Cougars on Saturday night, but the team was forced to turn around after reports indicated that two team members had been involved in the fight.
General view of Neville Arena prior to the match up between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Auburn Tigers on February 14, 2024, in Auburn, Alabama. (Michael Chang/Getty Images)
Some reports initially indicated that the fight was not physical, but according to radio communications between the pilot and air traffic control, things did escalate.
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According to audio obtained by WBMA, the pilot requests to turn the flight back to Auburn and that the “sheriff or police” be there waiting for their return.
“Well, that’s where they came out of, and the fight has been contained. We talked to the coach, and then there’s a nurse on board – we’ve talked to them,” the pilot can be heard saying.
Additional audio obtained by WBRC reveals the extent of the fight.
Auburn forward Jahki Howard slam dunks the ball against Vermont during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Auburn, Ala. He was identified as one of the players reportedly involved in the fight. (AP Photo/ Butch Dill)
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“We’ve got an altercation on board. . . . We’ve got a bunch of basketball players fighting,” the pilot can be heard saying, adding that it was a “physical altercation” which resulted in one “bloodied player” and clothes being ripped.
According to On3sports’ Justin Hokanson, freshman Jahki Howard and senior Ja’Heim Hudson were the players involved in the fight. They reportedly did not travel back with the team to Houston for Saturday’s game.
FILE – SMU Mustangs forward Ja’Heim Hudson (#15) looks for an open teammate during the college basketball game between the SMU Mustangs and the East Carolina Pirates on March 6, 2024, at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, TX. (Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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The university did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, nor did it confirm the incident.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
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