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Siena coach shakes imaginary hands after Rider skips handshake line (Video)

Siena beat Rider 78-68 in what should have been a run-of-the-mill Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Tuesday night. But as we can tell from what transpired immediately following the final horn, it turned out to be anything but ordinary.

After two ejections and two additional technical fouls late in the second half, Rider’s coaches and players walked off the court without shaking hands. Siena coach Jimmy Patsos, thinking on his feet, made the controversy into a wonderfully comedic moment:

Here’s an up-close view of Patsos, who is completely in the zone! He doesn’t even crack a smile!

Here’s more on the incident that led to Rider’s refusal to shake hands, via the Albany Times Union:

Siena’s Marquis Wright and Rider’s Anthony Durham were both ejected for their parts in an altercation under the basket near the Saints bench with 2:03 to play. Wright shoved Rider’s Stevie Jordan to the court and Durham appeared to take a swing at Wright. Siena coach Jimmy Patsos and Rider coach Kevin Baggett were also assessed technicals after Baggett walked down from the Broncos bench to the other end of the court and seemed to have words with Wright. Baggett had to be held back by his assistants.

Here’s video of the altercation and, specifically, the punch:

Patsos downplayed the incident when asked about it after the game, according to reporters on the scene. “I love [Rider coach] Kevin Baggett,” he said, according to the Times Union’s Mark Singelais. “He and I and [Saint Peter’s coach] John Dunne are the three closest friends in the league. … If you’re looking for me to say anything bad about Kevin Baggett, I’m not going to. I love that guy.”

Baggett later told ESPN’s Jeff Goodman that he took his team off the court “because I didn’t want anything to escalate again between the teams. That’s my prerogative to protect my team whether anyone else thinks it’s good sportsmanship or not.”

The game was at Siena, and fans booed as Rider walked off, but they’ll surely understand Baggett’s reasoning, and share a laugh with Patsos when they see this video later.