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Originally Posted by bigdogrunnin
During the Timeout, a FIGHT breaks out in the stands between fans of the Rival Schools. Team B players start running across the court to join in the fight (one of Team B's players parents started the fight). Team B coaches and myself stop the players before they get across the court, but they were more than half way across at this point.
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So by your description, they left the bench area during a fight. The rule does not specify who is doing the fighting, only that there is a fight or that one may break out.
1-13-3 . . . The bench area shall be the area inside an imaginary rectangle formed by the boundaries of the sideline (including the bench), end line, and an imaginary line extended from the free-throw lane line nearest the bench area meeting an imaginary line extended from the coaching-box line.
10-4-5 . . . Leave the confines of the bench during a fight or when a fight may break out.
NOTE: The head coach may enter the court only if beckoned by an official.
PENALTY: (Art. 5) Flagrant foul, disqualification of individual offender, but only one technical-foul penalty is administered regardless of the number of offenders. This one foul is also charged indirectly to the head coach. If the head coach is an offender, an additional flagrant technical foul is charged directly to the coach and penalized. When a simultaneous technical foul(s) by opponents occurs, the free throws are not awarded when the penalties offset.
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Originally Posted by bigdogrunnin
Of the 12 players on Team B's bench, 10 were on the floor going toward the stands, two stayed on the bench. Police go into stands and break up the fight. Team B's players are directed back to the bench. Game continues with no more problems. Team A loses by 4 because of Free Throws. Foul count at the end of the second half was 12-10 in favor of Team B. (If there is more information needed, please ask.)
My question is this: do you call flagrant technical fouls on the 10 Team B players for running on the floor to participate in a fight in the stands, hence ejecting almost the entire team, and then declare a forfeit because there are not enough players to continue? Or, do we continue, but only with the two remaining players on Team B's bench? Or, do we address the issue such as we did . . . talking with the players, letting them know that they cannot do that, and that those actions can result in them being ejected from the game and suspended for the remainder of the season?
Any opinions are welcome. Thanks in advance.
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Strictly speaking those 10 team members broke the rule. You would have had justification for disqualifying them, if you so desired. You will get differing opinions on whether you should have done so or if you managed the situation well and prevented a "Detroit Pistons problem". You were there, you did what you thought was best at the time.
If you had elected to DQ those 10, then the game would continue with the 2 remaining team members. A team does not forfeit until they have only one player remaining and do not have a chance to win.