Halifax Rainmen's Forrest Fisher says Windsor coach tackled teammate

Halifax Rainmen player Forrest Fisher says the brawl that broke out, between the Halifax Rainmen and Windsor Express on the day of the National Basketball League of Canada championship game, started when the headcoach of the Express tackled a Rainmen player.

To date, the narrative regarding the brawl between the two teams has lacked many specifics.

Police in Windsor, Ont., were called to a fight between the Rainmen and the Express on April 30.

Words were exchanged and punches and chairs were thrown.

The incident happened after Express staff found the Rainmen practising in the WFCU Centre more than two hours before their scheduled 1 p.m. practice time. By the time police arrived, the fight was over and the Rainmen were back on their bus.

Fisher says the brawl started whenExpress coach Bill Jones tackled Rainmencentre Liam McMorrow, which was then followed by Express player Tony Bennett hitting McMorrow with a chair.

Fisher made the claim in an emailed statement to the media on Tuesday evening.

The Rainmen forfeited that evening's game and the Express were named as league champions. Game seven in the best-of-seven series was to be played that night.

As a result of his involvement in the brawl, Bennett was banned from the NBL for life,Express owner Dartis Willis said on May 8. However,a media release issued by the league statedBennett was "suspended indefinitely pending further review."

Express head coach Jones was givena$4,000 fine.

Rainmen fines total nearly $100K

Rainmen players and coaches have been fined a total of almost $100,000. Suspensions have also been handed out.

A $20,000 fine was imposed on the Halifax Rainmen organization, plus a $10,000 fine for head coach Josep Claros and $9,000 infines for assistant coach Pedro Monteiro for "conduct detrimental to the league."

Claros and Monteiro have also both been barred for lifefrom coaching for the NBL.

As well, 11 players have been fined $5,000 each for conduct detrimental to the league. They have been suspended from playing in the NBL indefinitely, pending an investigation.

The players are:

• SeiyaAndo
• Chris Cayole
• Clifford Clinkscales
• JermaineDailey
• ForrestFisher
• Pedro Foster
• JoelHaywood
• LiamMcMorrow
• NigelSpikes
• TyroneWatson
• Kevin Young