A NorCal high school basketball game ended before the final buzzer, due to a wild brawl that included punches being thrown and benches clearing.
The game in question was a Division I NorCal quarterfinals clash between No. 5 Inderkum-Sacramento (28-3) and No. 4 Archbishop Riordan (22-6). The game was stopped with Riordan leading 61-52 and 1:15 remaining on the clock. It’s unclear if the game will be resumed at a later date.
“We will wait for the report from the game officials before making any decisions,” California Interscholastic Federation executive director Ron Nocetti said in a text message to the San Jose Mercury News.
Here’s how the fight started according to the Mercury News:
A few plays later, with Inderkum still pressing and trying to foul, Riordan sophomore Jasir Rencher collected a pass and took a hard foul. Some teammates didn’t like it and a hard shove from a Riordan player set things into motion. An Inderkum player then landed a punch in the head area of Riordan senior Achilles Woodson, who was then tossed to the floor and appeared to hit his head.
He lay on the ground for several minutes and had to be helped to his feet. Though he appeared dizzy, he was able to walk off the floor.
Shortly after that, the same Inderkum player punched another Riordan player, again in the head area.
After the second punch, Inderkum’s entire bench and at least one Riordan player left the bench and got involved in the brawl, which also included some spectators who ran out onto the floor. Once the fighting died down, Riordan officials asked everyone to leave and and several officers from the San Francisco Police Department arrived.
Woodson was taken to a local hospital for precautionary imaging according to the Mercury News. No other player was thought to have sustained injuries in the fight.
