Two H.S. basketball seasons cancelled due to brawl
Prep Rally
Danielle Elliot 16 hours ago
The Indiana High School Athletic Association has cancelled the remainder of the boys' basketball seasons for two high schools that were involved in a massive brawl during a game on Saturday. The IHSAA released a statement explaining the decision on Tuesday.
The fight broke out in the first quarter of the game between Hammond and Griffith, when a Griffith player was fouled as he went up for a dunk. The foul sent him flying into the wall, head first. He collapsed and teammates and opponents at first rushed over to see if he was alright. Within seconds, they started shoving each other, and the benches cleared.
After meeting Tuesday, the IHSAA issued sanctions varying from sportsmanship education for the athletes to a post-season ban and a year-long probation for both teams.
Saturday's game has been ruled a double forfeit. All remaining regular season games are cancelled, at all levels, and both schools will have to pay a $500 fine for each away game left on its schedule – three for Griffith, two for Hammond.
Both teams are suspended from the state tournament. Hammond will still serve as the neutral site for a state sectional game, as scheduled, but will not collect any profits for doing so.
The coaches from each school will have to go to complete a course on proper teaching and modeling behavior, while the student athletes have to take courses on sportsmanship.
The brawl also results in a season-long probation next year.
Further penalties could result, as the police are currently reviewing tapes to attempt to identify any adults that joined the melee.
____
Danielle Elliot is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact her at
[email protected] or find her on Twitter.
===============================