A fight that broke out as time expired in an Arkansas high school regional basketball game quickly escalated into the stands Saturday night.
The incident occurred during the 2A boys regional matchup between Barton and England at Poyen High School. According to reports, the altercation began on the court as the clock reached zero and then spread into the crowd.
The game marked the fourth meeting of the season between the two schools, and community members said it was the third fight involving the teams this year.
England School District Superintendent Dr. Judy Hubbell said the district is embarrassed by the incident and acknowledged that fans played a role in the escalation.
“I’m not making any excuses for England. It was on us, and it was a very egregious violation of sportsmanship, and the England School District is embarrassed that this happened,” Hubbell said.
Hubbell added that the district is planning to take stronger steps to address behavior at future events, including the possibility of holding games without fans.
“That is not what a high school basketball tournament should look like,” Hubbell said. “We are going to really clamp down on bad fan behavior.”
The Grant County Sheriff’s Office said criminal charges will be pursued against those involved in the altercation.
The Poyen School District, which hosted the tournament, also released a statement addressing the incident.
The Arkansas Activities Association said it will not comment further until the investigation is complete but noted that the behavior violates AAA sportsmanship standards.
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