South Bend high school basketball game canceled after fans brawl at halftime
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WISH) — A large fight between fans of two South Bend high schools led to the cancellation of a varsity boys basketball game Thursday night.
The chaos was captured on the IHSAA’s live stream of the matchup between Washington High School and the visiting team from Riley High School.
The fight started in the stands just after 8 p.m. and escalated into confrontations on the court. Fans fought on the court for several minutes before police arrived.
“At one point, all 2nd Detail South Bend officers were at Washington High School, assisting with clearing the building,” the South Bend Police Department said on Facebook.
The remainder of the game was canceled with Riley leading Washington 30-28.
Police say no one was seriously hurt or arrested.
Statement
“The violent behavior that erupted at Washington High School on Thursday night is a disgrace to our students and families. The chaos that ended the competition was initiated by adult attendees, not students or athletes. Because of these intolerable actions, our students were denied not only their memories of senior night and the annual McCullough Cup, but a hard-earned competition between two teams of athletes who exhibited good sportsmanship and maturity far beyond those bystanders who put the safety of our community at risk and made South Bend Schools look bad.
“Even with eight of our Student Resource Officers, school administration, and athletic directors in attendance, last night’s violence led to a scenario that absorbed a tremendous amount of support from the South Bend Police Department.
“To those individuals who incited violence: Do better. Your actions not only endangered our students and families but canceled a competition that our student-athletes, coaches, and high school community had worked hard to celebrate. Our students and teachers are experiencing a lot of success. Last night’s events—by adults—diminish the hard work being done.
“We are working with the SBPD to identify those involved and will determine the next steps.
“We will take the measures necessary to ensure that our athletic events are safe, and review all security and admittance procedures. Individuals exhibiting disruptive behavior of any kind will be removed from events.
“Information about the game’s rescheduled time and location is forthcoming, and we will ask the community to help support that event in a productive way.
“I want to thank our school administration, athletic directors, SROs, and the SBPD for acting swiftly to ensure the safety of our students. We are grateful for the support of our coaches and students from Paul Neidig, commissioner of the IHSAA, as we work through this community issue.
“As always, remember that information may be reported anonymously via our QuickTip portal or by calling Michiana Crime Stoppers at 574-288-STOP.”
Todd Cummings, superintendent, South Bend Community School Corp.