Youth Basketball Coach Attacked In Huntington Station: Police

HUNTINGTON STATION, NY — Suffolk County Crime Stoppers is seeking the public's help in finding the men who police said attacked a youth basketball coach in Huntington Station earlier this month.

Two men (pictured above) punched and kicked the coach at Next Level Sports Center at 156 Railroad St. after the coach got into an argument with a woman in the stands around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, police said. The man was brought to Huntington Hospital, police said. The two men are wanted on harassment charges.

The coach, Theo Czubakowski, told ABC 7 the men who attacked him were family members of one of his players. They lashed out after the player's mother got upset that Czubakowski benched her son, the coach said. The team was losing by roughly 20 points when the mother began cursing at Czubakowski, he said.

The mother approached the court, as did people crowding around the coach, and a relative of the player punched him in the head, Czubakowski said. He was then punched and kicked by other men, he said. Czubakowski said he got to his car and the group tried yanking him out of his vehicle, but one of his other players shut the door so the coach could drive away. Czubakowski returned to call the police, he said. Czubakowski says he does not blame his player, as he tried to restrain his family.

A crowd is seen surrounding Czubakowski in a video acquired by ABC 7 that was taken by someone in the stands.

Police asked anyone with information to reach Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and leave an anonymous tip via phone call at 1-800-220-TIPS, using a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. A cash reward is offered for information that leads to an arrest.