HOOVER, Ala. -- Late Tuesday afternoon, the Alabama High School Athletic Association issued its punishment for Hoover High School and one of its players after he threw a punch during a playoff game.
It happened when Hoover and Spain Park faced off in the first round of playoffs at Oak Mountain High School last Friday. It's a game Spain Park won over Hoover, but not before a player had to be restrained by coaches and other players.
It was late in the fourth quarter of this playoff game between Spain Park and Hoover High schools. Hoover had the ball. Spain Park attempted the steal. As the ball changed hands, a Hoover player pushes a Spain Park player twice, knocking him to the ground, and when he turns around, it appears he slugs another Spain Park player.
Hoover City Schools' Jason Gaston said, "The coaches intervened. As I understand it a sheriff's deputy was on hand, an SRO who also quickly came to the court and tried to look into what was happening."
Also in the video, a Spain Park player raises his hands, firing up the Spain Park crowd and chest bumps someone from the crowd. We're told the incident started quickly and ended quickly. But by then the damage was done. Late this afternoon the Alabama High School Athletic Association delivered its report to the district:
Hoover has been fine $4,800 and placed on one-year probation.
The student involved will be suspended from the first five games of the next season.
Gaston said, "This is not unlike other things we have seen at other high schools in the region or even across the country. We've seen stuff like this before, tensions run high, adrenaline's pumping with people out on the court but at the end of the day there is no excuse for a lack of sportsmanship."
Six players were ejected from Friday's game. Hoover can reduce its fine to $3,400 dollars if ejected players take an online behavioral modification class.
Due to confidentiality, the school district isn't saying if or how, players were punished for their behavior during Friday's basketball game.
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