A California high school basketball coach has been accused of poor sportsmanship after his team beat another 161 to … 2.
Arroyo Valley High girls’ coach Michael Anderson was suspended for two games following the rout against Bloomington High last week and now faces criticism for running up the score, CBS Los Angeles reports.
“The game just got away from me,” Anderson told the San Bernardino Sun on Friday.
“I didn’t play any starters in the second half,” he added. “I didn’t expect them to be that bad. I’m not trying to embarrass anybody.”
This isn’t the first time Arroyo Valley has so thoroughly dominated a matchup. The girls’ team has won its previous four games by 70 points or more. As for Bloomington? They had already lost a game by 91 points.
Still, Bloomington coach Dale Chung says Anderson crossed a line.
“People shouldn’t feel sorry for my team,” Chung told the Sun. “They should feel sorry for his team, which isn’t learning the game the right way.”
But Arroyo Valley parents disagree.
“I feel it’s very wrong. I felt like, what are you teaching these kids? To lose and not be rewarded,” parent Martha Vodinez told CBS Los Angeles. “Are you teaching them to be a loser?”
Adds another unidentified parent: “I feel like, if you lose, you just need to get out there and learn from that. Get better. Don’t down talk the next team.”
This article originally appeared on People.com.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com