San Antonio high school basketball player faces racist taunts during Marble Falls game

A Central Texas school district has yet to publicly apologize after onlookers taunted a Black basketball player from San Antonio's East Central High School with monkey noises during a game on Friday, as first reported by KSAT.

The incident happened at Marble Falls High School when Asia Prudhomme, a senior on East Central's women's basketball team, readied to take a free throw. As she stepped up to the line, people in the crowd began making loud, chimp-like noises, as seen in a video the player shared on Twitter.

This is sad, heartbreaking and uncalled for. Can’t even play basketball without ignorance and racism in the stands. This really broke my heart, my coaches and teammates… please share this out and help us punish those involved. pic.twitter.com/lahZTa6bDB

— asia prudhomme (@AP32COLD) November 19, 2022

Although Prudhomme sank the free throw, the spectators continued to harass her and her teammates throughout the game. It was only after a parent from East Central spoke to a Marble Falls school administrator that the racist taunts finally stopped, KSAT reports.

"This is sad, heartbreaking and uncalled for," Prudhomme said in a tweet after the game. "Can't even play basketball without ignorance and racism in the stands. This really broke my heart, my coaches and teammates."

Marble Falls ISD officials were not immediately available for comment, and the district hasn't posted any public statements about the incident on its website. Located about 48 miles west of Austin, the town is 87% white, according to data from the US Census Bureau.

Vanessa Villarreal, head coach for the East Central team, expressed her outrage on Twitter. Even so, she praised her players for how they handled the situation.

"This situation was hard," Villarreal said. "Speaking to my girls about this was hard. Our weekend was not ruined by this. Our kids grew & I wish I could show what our girls did on the bus once we discussed it. Our girls are amazing people who love each other so much! I love them for that!"

This situation was hard. Speaking to my girls about this was hard. Our weekend was not ruined by this. Our kids grew & I wish I could show what our girls did on the bus once we discussed it. Our girls are amazing people who love each other so much! I love them for that!  https://t.co/YFlqp67NaX

— Coach V (@vvilla21) November 20, 2022

East Central Girls Basketball's Twitter account also commented on Friday's game, calling the racially charged incident "hurtful and unacceptable." It noted that the athletic offices from both schools are working to handle the situation.

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