Austin-East, Brainerd boys basketball teams suspended by TSSAA after fight

CORRECTION: A previous edition cited the officials' report that misidentified the Austin-East player involved in a skirmish over a loose ball.

The Austin-East and Chattanooga Brainerd boys basketball teams have been suspended from further play by the TSSAA after a fight stopped their game Saturday in the first half.

The fight began on the court and spread to involve students and parents in the stands.

A letter sent from TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress to Austin-East Principal Nathan Langlois states the following:

“We are asking the administration of each school to deal with the incident and report in writing any action they plan to take as soon as possible. Until this incident is thoroughly investigated and effective administrative action is taken by your school’s administration to address it, deal with those responsible, and prevent future incidents of this type, the boys’ basketball team at Austin-East Magnet High School is being placed on suspension from further play.”

Brainerd received a similar letter.

More:Associated Press boys high school basketball poll

Austin-East athletic director Alvin Armstead said the school will respond directly to TSSAA and will not discuss it publicly. He declined to confirm or deny the officials’ report referenced in the letter, saying he wouldn’t discuss individual students.

The fight began when two players dived for a loose ball and "then all of a sudden both players were in an altercation," according to the officials' report submitted to TSSAA after the game.

Wesley Allen of Austin-East hit Brainerd's Jalen Wofford with a basketball, according to the officials' report, and then Wofford punched "the Austin-East player while both was still on the floor in front of East bench."

Both benches emptied after that and "altercations were taking place everywhere: the fans, and the players," the officials' report stated. 

The game was suspended and later declared a no contest. 

More:Associated Press boys high school basketball poll

One student was hurt and taken to the hospital, according to a statement from the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, which also noted "the incident is under investigation and charges may be pending based on the outcome of the investigation." The Sheriff's Office said there were no updates on Monday.

Childress wrote in his letter that a TSSAA basketball supervisor in attendance said the altercation was the "worst he has ever seen in 36 years."

Childress added that the fight went beyond two players having an altercation in the heat of the contest. "This melee reflects a loss of perspective by all those who participated in it," he wrote. 

In recent years, the TSSAA has ruled boldly when it comes to fighting. That could have ramifications on both teams' postseasons.

After a fight between Pickett County and York in 2014, Pickett County was placed on probation for three years and fined, while York was put on restrictive probation for the remainder of that year and the next and fined. Restrictive probation includes a postseason ban.

In 2011, the Brainerd and Howard girls basketball programs were placed on restrictive probation for that year and the next after a fight broke out.

Austin-East is ranked third in Class AA in the Associated Press poll released Monday and Brainerd is No. 5.