Cherokee High girls’ basketball win met with racism, obscene gestures, online hostility

By Ed DiOrio

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    CHEROKEE, North Carolina (WLOS) — After winning the Smoky Mountain Conference title, the girls’ basketball team at Cherokee High School were faced with a memory they wish to forget.

After the Cherokee team won the title, they were met with obscene hand gestures and remarks online from the opposing school’s fanbase.

“Our team didn’t get to celebrate their championship win,” said Lori Rogers, who has two daughters who play for Cherokee High School. “This has gone too far. Adults took it the wrong way. You think it’s a great time and it will be a great time, but that was nothing of what we expected.”

What seemed like another championship win was anything but that. As the Cherokee girls celebrated another conference title, fans inside the Hayesville gym could be seen making inappropriate hand gestures towards the winning team.

That, combined with comments made on social media about the team, caused a reaction from Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief Michell Hicks.

He wrote the following statement to News 13:

“Our student-athletes should never have to question whether they will be treated with respect when they step onto the court. Yet, they have been met with racism and hostility instead of the sportsmanship they deserve.

This was not just frustration over a loss, this was adults, including educators, choosing to direct their anger toward Cherokee student-athletes simply for winning. Their response was not only unsportsmanlike—it was hateful. This is not an isolated incident. Our student-athletes, both boys and girls, have endured similar treatment for years. The history is there, the evidence is undeniable, and yet time and time again, these acts of bigotry are dismissed or excused. We have heard hateful slurs, degrading chants, and outright threats directed at our young athletes, words that are rooted in the same racism that once justified violence against our people. Schools, administrators, and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association must take responsibility and ensure that this behavior is no longer tolerated.

We are taking immediate action. The EBCI and Cherokee Central Schools are issuing a joint letter to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association demanding accountability, and I will personally be speaking with the superintendent of Clay County Schools. We will also be increasing protections for our athletes, including having officers present at games. These measures are just the beginning—we will continue to advocate for stronger protections to ensure our kids are safe, respected, and treated with the dignity they deserve.”

Hicks also released a statement on Facebook Monday. He said, in part: “Despite the hostility they faced, our student-athletes showed true strength, perseverance, and class. They rose above the negativity, competed with heart, and proved what it means to be a champion – on and off the court. We are incredibly proud of them and will always stand behind them.”

Clay County Schools, which includes the opposing team Hayesville, also released a statement on Facebook. It read, in part:

“We are aware of images that display some of our fans being inappropriate during Saturday night’s tournament game. This behavior does not reflect the values of our school system or community and we deeply regret this happened. This behavior will not be tolerated. To that end, anytime there is a report of inappropriate behavior from the stands, such as this one, we actively investigate the concern, collaborate with other school administrators if needed, and put measures in place to address poor behavior to ensure that all athletic events remain positive experiences for everyone involved and that the talents and accomplishments of student athletes remain front and center. Although there may be information out there on the contrary, we have been in constant communication with the Cherokee Central Superintendent, Cherokee Central High School Principal and Athletic Director since Saturday evening and relayed our commitment to addressing this issue.”

“Most definitely, it offended me,” Rogers said. “Even that night as the comments were coming in that night, I advised my girls to not read that trash. It does hurt. These kids have put a lot of work into what they’ve mastered.”

For the girls, coaches, parents and entire Cherokee community, this is about continuing to push for change while also thriving on the court.

“We stand as family,” Rogers said. “We stand together. We’ve done that for decades. That’s why we’re still here. We strive to be better, get educated and help other communities because this tribe does help the surrounding communities. We’re teaching everybody to support each other, help each other and build each other.”

The Cherokee girls’ basketball team return to action Tuesday night at Cherokee High School. They take on Bradford Preparatory School in the first round of the state playoffs.

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