An upstate New York girls basketball coach who was fired after yanking a player’s ponytail apologized Sunday for his actions. Jim Zullo, now the former coach at Northville High, was caught on camera pulling the girl’s hair following a loss in the Class D state championship game on Friday night. “As a coach, under no circumstance is it acceptable to put my hands on a player, and I am truly sorry. I wish I could have those moments back,” Zullo told Albany NBC affiliate WNYT. The player, Hailey Monroe, appeared to be crying as she watched the opposing team, La Fargeville, celebrate their state championship. It was the second straight year that Northville lost in the state title game with Zullo as coach. Monroe was the team’s star player, averaging 23 points per game and scoring 12 of her team’s points in the 43-37 loss on Friday night. “I want to offer my sincerest apologies to Hailey and her family, our team, the good folks at Northville Central Schools and our community,” Zullo said in his statement. “I am super proud of every one of these young women and what they accomplished.  I know each of them will go on to do great things and I wish them well.” The video of Zullo yanking Monroe by the hair was broadcast by NFHS Network, which aired the title game. After the clip went viral, Northville fired Zullo over the weekend. The 81-year-old had already suggested this was going to be his last year coaching high school basketball. ...read more read less