Police make arrests at PA high school basketball game after brawl in stands: 'Never seen anything this ugly'
A Pennsylvania high school basketball game saw a wild brawl in the bleachers end with arrests this past Friday night.
The game between Uniontown and Meadville High Schools got physical, but not with players on the court. Rather, it was parents in the stands, as at least two adult men were seen throwing punches, which led to quite the scene.
Video circulating online of the incident appears to show coaches and referees moving both teams to their benches in the fourth quarter. Then, cameras quickly shift to two men throwing punches at each in the stands, with many trying to break it up.
"I've never seen anything this ugly break out in person," an announcer on Unionville High School's YouTube channel during the game said. "This was really a shame."
The man who appeared to initiate the brawl was wearing a white jersey, and cameras caught him exiting his spot in the bleachers, walking down to the court and going to the other side behind Meadville to confront someone. That's when things turned ugly.
One player from the Meadville bench, wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and white pants, jumped into the stands to throw punches before a coach eventually brought him back down to the court.
But things got much worse when a Meadville player chased after a fan, who appeared to provoke him near where the initial brawl was, and sent him flying down onto the court. Players from both benches looked like they were going to brawl before coaches quickly sent them to the locker room.
Different altercations happened at both ends of the court, but eventually dissipated.
Police officers were seen in the video of the altercation leading a man wearing a blue shirt out of the gymnasium in handcuffs. Another man at the opposite end of the gym was also in handcuffs.
TMZ Sports learned from Meadville police that they intend "to be charging several fans and players. Most likely with Disorderly Conduct."
Announcers for the game noted a technical foul being called on Uniontown after a foul by Meadville was making the crowd upset before the brawl.
"Uniontown fans are going after the officials here a little bit," the announcer said. "You might have some ejections here."
Because of what occurred, the game was called by officials with 3:12 left in the fourth quarter, where Meadville was leading Uniontown, 63-55.
This game was the first round of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association's 5A state tournament, and the governing body's official bracket as of 5:27 p.m. on Monday states a "double forfeiture" with neither team moving on.
Hershey, the team slated to face the winner of Uniontown-Meadville in the second round, has subsequently moved on to the quarterfinals.
"I have contacted the schools involved and have requested a report from them by Monday AM regarding last night's incident," PIAA executive director Robert Lombardi told the Erie Times-News about the incident. "I have no further comment until I receive their reports."
The PIAA did not initially respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
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