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Why Hasn’t the Johnson City Press Reported the ETSU Men’s Basketball Team Knelt For the Anthem on Monday?
Normally, this space features an ETSU game preview. But it’s time to really ask if we’re getting responsible coverage of sports and the stories surrounding it in the Tri-Cities.
Tonight at 7 pm the East Tennessee State men’s basketball team (12–9, 8–5) will host the Mercer Bears (12–8, 5–7) in a key Southern Conference basketball game.
The visiting Bears knocked off Atlantic Coast Conference member Georgia Tech earlier in the season and are trying to stake their claim as a SoCon Tournament contender. Avenging an earlier 70–64 loss to ETSU would go a long way to do that, and possibly put them in a position to get a bye in Asheville as well.
The Buccaneers, a 4 1/2 point favorite, are the defending conference champion and trying to get within striking distance of UNCG, who lead the Bucs by two games in the SoCon race but must finish their regular season with a game at ETSU.
But you’ll excuse us if maybe the real story surrounding ETSU basketball is not their play on the court but their actions off of it.
Prior to their last game, a 53–51 loss at Chattanooga, the Buccaneers players were filmed by WJHL-TV kneeling during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner.
