While I agree that the GC player was playing intense and up in the WC player’s face, etc., it still didn’t warrant grabbing him and throwing him down. This wasn’t something that escalated from the 1st of the game through the end.
The GC player didn’t enter the game until the 6 minute mark of the 1st and the fight occurred at the 3 minute mark of the 1st. Could the refs maybe controlled it a little better, yes, but if a basketball player can’t handle what happened to him in 3 minutes of game time in terms of someone being aggressive with you, then they shouldn’t play basketball. There were no dirty plays or cheap shots, fouls maybe yes, but nothing that warrants that type of reaction.
That kid was looking for a fight with the GC student section before the game too so sounds like he was ready to do what he did before the game and the way GC was playing him just escalated it quicker.