Adelaide 36ers players allegedly attacked in Cairns CBD
Three Adelaide 36ers players were allegedly verbally abused and physically attacked on a night out in Cairns.
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Two men have been charged after they allegedly heckled and attacked several members of the Adelaide 36ers team as they returned to their hotel late at night after their game in Cairns.
US import Jerome Randle, a former National Basketball League MVP winner, along with fellow import Eric Griffin and development player Alex Mudronja were walking from Gilligan’s at about 3am on Sunday when they were allegedly verbally abused by two men on the corner of Lake and Spence Sts.
Police alleged the incident then escalated into a physical altercation before police arrived and took two Cairns men into custody.
The Cairns Post understands another two of their teammates – veteran forward Daniel Johnson and centre Harry Froling – were also allegedly heckled by the two men minutes before the incident.
It is alleged the two men – aged 20 and 21 from Bentley Park – had just emerged from a nearby nightclub when the incident took place.
They are due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court next month charged with public nuisance.
The incident followed the 36ers’ 108-91 loss to the Cairns Taipans in the National Basketball League.
Adelaide’s chief executive Ben Kavenagh and general manager Jeff Van Gronigen both confirmed the incident and said none of the players were physically injured.
“We are aware that an incident occurred, our players do have behaviours and standards that we expect and none of which were breached,” Mr Kavenagh said.
“As people appear to have been arrested we can’t comment further as the matter is in police hands.”
Mr Van Gronigen said the club did not have a curfew in place for players that night.
“They do have a curfew at certain times of the week to do with a strategic period (leading up to games),” he said.
“We have an expected level of behaviour at all times and we are very confident that has not been breached by our players.”
None of the players allegedly involved have been charged.
It is understood they had earlier been socialising at the Reef Hotel Casino which is the official after-game venue, before moving on to Gilligan’s then returning to the Pullman Cairns International on Abbott St.