Incident in South Carolina

[SC Official]

http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/278...asketball-game

This happened last night in my state in a middle school game that I was not working. In the video you'll see the teenager come onto the court and strangle one of the black team players (the black team was actually the home team in this game). From there, all hell broke loose with the stands and both benches emptying. With only a couple seconds left and the outcome decided, the game was ended.

Young officials take note–this can happen to anyone and you must be prepared. Do not gloss over the fighting penalties in the rule book. Do not blame yourself for idiot fans running onto the court, but do know all the rules pertaining to penalties and what you have to report to your association. In this situation, although you cannot tell definitively who participated and who did not, it is clear that both benches emptied completely and came onto the court. The officials in this situation were fortunate that, given the amount of time left in the game, they could just end it and send all the offenders to the state and leave it in their hands. But if this had happened earlier in the game, you have to know your rules for fighting, who is penalized, and how you are resuming play (if your state doesn't mandate a forfeit).

A good lesson for all and a shame that this kind of behavior goes on even at a MIDDLE SCHOOL game.

As a side note, the quote in the article about "helping to restore order" is absolutely ridiculous: the people running onto the floor made matters WORSE, NOT BETTER.

[deecee]

I don't care what happens here. If this is a middle game I'm suspending it and letting the league deal with it. I would probably do this for any level to be honest in HS as well. Once the stands empty and it becomes a free for all my job is done. Restore order, suspend the game, write up my report and move on.

That video might actually have a negative resolution. It looks like someone stuck a potato in their mouth and tried to film the action through the skin of their cheek.

[BigCat]

Originally Posted by AremRed

That video might actually have a negative resolution. It looks like someone stuck a potato in their mouth and tried to film the action through the skin of their cheek.

minors involved. somebody(s) went to jail. don't want minors identified...

[BigCat]

Originally Posted by deecee

Once the stands empty and it becomes a free for all my job is done.

and that would be a job well done…


(bad joke i know. made me chuckle)

[deecee]

Originally Posted by BigCat

and that would be a job well done…


(bad joke i know. made me chuckle)

I'll go to any lengths to avoid overtime.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by BigCat

minors involved. somebody(s) went to jail. don't want minors identified...

If that's the case, they'd never show any high school game fight footage. Some players are 18 years old, but the majority typically aren't.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by deecee

I'll go to any lengths to avoid overtime.

[HokiePaul]

Originally Posted by SC Official

http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/278...asketball-game
As a side note, the quote in the article about "helping to restore order" is absolutely ridiculous: the people running onto the floor made matters WORSE, NOT BETTER.

Can't tell whether the adults present helped or hurt in this case given the quality of the video, but curious if you have any reason to doubt what the school representative said? Were you at this game?

I'm assuming that middle school games don't usually have a police presence there -- I would think that it is possible that the adults there did help restore order, especially if this was started by a single individual unrelated to the game and unrelated to the game.

[HokiePaul]

Originally Posted by bainsey

If that's the case, they'd never show any high school game fight footage. Some players are 18 years old, but the majority typically aren't.

There aren't usually arrests though.

[BigCat]

Originally Posted by bainsey

If that's the case, they'd never show any high school game fight footage. Some players are 18 years old, but the majority typically aren't.

thank you Bainsey.

I just didn't want AremRed thinking someone shot the video with a potato in their mouth through their cheek skin….

the station said in the video that is why they blurred it intentionally…..state laws vary..but most news organizations are allowed to identify juveniles. they just choose not to…..

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by HokiePaul

Can't tell whether the adults present helped or hurt in this case given the quality of the video, but curious if you have any reason to doubt what the school representative said? Were you at this game?

I'm assuming that middle school games don't usually have a police presence there -- I would think that it is possible that the adults there did help restore order, especially if this was started by a single individual unrelated to the game and unrelated to the game.

Was not at the game but heard reports: there was an officer at the game. Most of the adults may have had good intentions, but clearly the situation only got out of control when they all went onto the court. I just believe that lauding the fans for rushing onto the court is ridiculous.

[HokiePaul]

Originally Posted by SC Official

Was not at the game but heard reports: there was an officer at the game. Most of the adults may have had good intentions, but clearly the situation only got out of control when they all went onto the court. I just believe that lauding the fans for rushing onto the court is ridiculous.

May be ... but if I'm a parent watching my middle school kids game and a random person comes out of the stands and attacks someone -- I'm going onto the court to help break things and assist with protecting my kid if game management/police aren't able to immediately get things under control. I'm not blaming parents for going onto the court in this case. Totally different than if two players get into an altercation due to play on the court, which is much more common and where I would agree that the spectators entering the court are rarely helpful.

[Bad Zebra]

I'm sure the situation is serious and hopefully the idiot(s) who came onto the court and attacked a player is dealt with appropriately.

HOWEVER...the news outlet that aired that video should be embarrassed. It is essentially useless. A bunch of shadowy figures moving around on the screen. Why bother?

[frezer11]

Originally Posted by bainsey

If that's the case, they'd never show any high school game fight footage. Some players are 18 years old, but the majority typically aren't.

The article said that one of the minors was being charged, that might be the difference