Mayo isn’t fazed by cadets’ taunts

O.J. Mayo turned the ball over and the cadets cheered. Mayo clanked a jumper and the cadets shook their derogatory signs in glee.

The Citadel’s cadets seated along the baseline near the USC bench Thursday night at McAlister Field House showed little restraint with the Trojans freshman in his first college road game.

The cadets came equipped with signs reading, “Please don’t assault our refs” and “Mayo: The Next Michael Vick.” One even held up a poster with a picture of Mayo alongside a mug shot of O.J. Simpson.

Mayo drew a suspension as a high school senior for making contact with a referee and was cited for marijuana possession, a citation that was later dropped.

“The cadets, they did a nice job,” said Mayo, who had 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in USC’s 74-47 win. “Our high school games are kind of like that, and playing in Kentucky was kind of wild like that.”

Mayo also had a handful of supporters among a crowd that included his mother, Alisha, and other friends and family who had made the drive from Huntington, W.Va.

Although Mayo seemed to take the taunts in stride, others were outraged. Local resident Jerome Heyward called the signs racist and said he doubted that the cadets would similarly ridicule a white player. Heyward, who like Mayo is black, vowed to contact Citadel officials today and demand an apology to USC.

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Ben Bolch