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Chaos reigns at Battle of Bayside

By Marc Raimondi

But that was before things got ugly on Bayside's home floor. With the Judges up 78-53 and only 58 seconds left on the clock, play stopped and dozens of spectators, mostly Bayside fans bemoaning the loss, got up to leave – by crossing right over the court.Referees and security guards stepped in to take control, but as they did so the father of Bayside senior Brandon Smith stormed over to his son's coach, Joe Capuana, and began screaming at him. Minutes before, Smith, one of the team's best players, had been taken out of the game because of the lopsided score. In response, the senior forward ripped off his jersey and left the Commodores' bench.”He was upset by the coaching of 'Cap,'” Bayside senior Ryan Davis said of Smith's father.By the time security was able to subdue Smith's father, more spectators had taken the court and some Bayside students exchanged words with Cardozo players. The game was called by referees with the final score of 78-53 and the Judges were then quickly swept into a nearby classroom before being escorted out of the school by officials.”I think our rivalry is a good, clean, healthy rivalry,” Cardozo coach Ron Naclerio said. “I feel bad for Joe Capuana and (assistant coach Craig) Keyes, they're good people.”Capuana declined to comment about the situation.Southerland (13 rebounds) had 15 points in the third quarter to help Cardozo (16-0 Queens AA) sustain its lead. Trinity Fields had 15 points, Chris Abney had 13 and J.J. Garvin, making his first return to Bayside since transferring from the school two years ago, added 12 and 6 assists.Darryl Brown (18 points) and Davis (13) led Bayside (12-5), but the game held less significance than the extracurricular activities for the Commodores. Smith had been averaging 14 points and 8 rebounds per game, but now his status with Bayside is up in the air.Said Davis, “We don't have Brandon anymore, I guess.”