A Connecticut high school varsity boys basketball game ended with the teams playing 4-on-4 after a fight resulted in 17 ejections Friday night.
The fight took place during a game in which New Britain was visiting Bloomfield.
"Near half-time of last night’s basketball game between Bloomfield High and New Britain High schools (at Bloomfield) tempers flared after a New Britain player lifted and slammed a Bloomfield player to the ground during the game — and got on top of him," said Stan Simpson, a spokesman for Bloomfield schools. "Student-athletes from both teams left their sidelines and came to the aid of their teammates. The players involved in the altercation were both ejected. Per CIAC guidelines, players who left their benches to intercede were also ejected by the game officials. This resulted in four players from each team remaining to continue the game."
Ed Lynch, the IAABO Board 6 commissioner that serves both schools and the Greater Hartford area in terms of officiating, said there were 17 players ejected: three players who were in the game at the time of the fight and an additional 14 players combined from both teams who left the bench. Lynch said no coaches were ejected.
Simpson could only confirm "multiple ejections" on Bloomfield's end.
WFSB-3, which had an employee at the game, reported that there were only three Bloomfield players on the court to finish the game. WFSB, which did not air video from the fight, showed officials discussing the incident with coaches, then panned to the scoreboard which showed 1:36 left in the second quarter and Bloomfield leading 34-20.
“Any player is responsible not to leave the confines of the bench no matter what happened. That’s why they all were ejected,” Lynch said.
According to the CIAC handbook, all players ejected must serve a one-game suspension. “When an athlete is ejected from any CIAC contest the athlete is ineligible to participate in the next contest at the same level of play,” the handbook reads.
Bloomfield, the No. 9 team in the GameTimeCT Top 10 poll, defeated New Britain 71-62.
Simpson said, "There were no fans involved in the fracas and all spectators and teams exited, without issue, after the game. No injuries were reported."
Bloomfield’s next game is Monday at East Hartford, while New Britain plays Tuesday at RHAM. Bloomfield and New Britain, both members of the Central Connecticut Conference, are scheduled to play again in February.
A requests for comment on the incident from New Britain superintendent Tony Gasper was not immediately returned.
This incident comes on the heels of fights which occurred following the conclusion of games between Weaver and Middletown on Jan. 17 and Bassick and Wilbur Cross on Jan. 16.
