What happened in the Acadome at Alabama State University Tuesday afternoon was a black eye to the state of Alabama, staff and students at two high schools, two communities and to high school basketball in general.
A brawl that began on the court during the boys basketball state playoff game between Valley and Carver-Montgomery spilled into the stands, resulted in minor injuries, involved numerous participants and wound up as the lead sports story in a number of state publications Wednesday morning.
For shame, and all because of a hard foul in the fourth quarter with Carver leading 52-37.
A spat between two players carried over into both teams. It should have ended right then and there. This is where the fans should just let the officials and administrators from both schools, handle the situation. Instead, fans had to get involved.
Instead of celebrating a season that resulted in reaching the high school playoffs and a trip to a larger venue, the schools will remember this season for an incident that lasted a few minutes rather than memories that lasted three months.
It was announced Thursday by the Alabama High School Athletic Association that neither school will be permitted to compete further in the basketball playoffs. One could think this penalty hurts Carver most since the Wolverines appeared to be on the way to winning. Additional penalties may be announced in coming days, according to the AHSAA.
High school athletics is a tool that is supposed to help develop strong bodies and sportsmanship. High school athletics is supposed to be fun, and usually is.
These days, it is clear that sportsmanship has taken a backseat to winning. Teaching the values of good character should go hand-in-hand with foul shooting, defense and bounce passes.
It’s tough to remember that when a coach is too often judged solely on wins and losses.
But sportsmanship and good character are something that should not just taught on the playing fields, but also in the classroom – and more importantly, at home.
Other than pointing fingers and issuing citations toward the schools involved, state officials should review ideas to prevent further events like the one that happened Tuesday from happening again, or as often. Stiffer penalties should be handed to athletes involved in fighting. It’s time the state reviewed ideas of how to keep rival fans separate, or even off of the playing fields altogether.
Tempers are going to flare from time to time. Anger is a human trait.
Somehow, it’s time we figure out a way to put five-star character ahead of five-star talent.
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