No Charges Filed Against High School Basketball Brawlers
Remember the brawl that broke out at a Southside High School basketball game in February? The fight that even had some parents throwing punches?
Turns out the appalling behavior will go without official punishment.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Department has declined to file charges against any of the brawlers from Southside High School or their opponents at Abbeville High.
Greenville County Sheriff’s Lt. Shea Smith said the decision was reached because no victims came forward to file assault reports and administrators at both schools assured investigators the students involved were appropriately punished.
Abbeville suspended eight players from school for five days. Southside disciplined three players.
Sounds like an appropriate punishment for your basic schoolyard fight. But for a melee that nearly devolved into a riot? Not so much.
These kids might not be hardened criminals (yet), but having to stand before a judge might have made them think twice before throwing punches on the basketball court.
Eight High School Basketball Players Suspended Over Brawl
Something tells me that a school that can’t control their sports teams at games has more problems than poor sportsmanship:
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Eight Abbeville High School athletes were suspended on Thursday after a brawl at the team’s basketball game against Southside High School on Wednesday night.
Southside High School was hosting Abbeville High School on Wednesday night. A scorekeeper at the game told FOX Carolina that the referees made some controversial calls during the game, but Southside beat Abbeville 61-51.
Deputies said that when fans started to run out onto the floor after the victory, two players began fighting. They said that the fight spilled into the crowd. They said that before it was over, even some parents were throwing punches.
Stay classy Abbeville parents. School officials are shocked, shocked, that his precious young charges would act in this way:
“We take good pride in the character of our kids,” said Abbeville High School Principal Dr. Steve Glenn, who was also at Wednesday’s game. “For something like this to happen, it’s out of character for our kids. We are very embarrassed that it did happen.”
I bet. There’s no word yet on whether any charges will be filed for what is essentially a riot. I would put forward that is part of the problem with the kids. Cooling their heels in county would probably make them a little less quick with their fists.