A high school basketball game between Aquinas High and Inglewood High in San Bernardino turned violent on Monday night, following a chaotic final buzzer. With Inglewood leading by 13 points, an Inglewood player scored a last-second layup that did not count, igniting tensions on the court.
Inglewood’s head coach, Jason Crowe, acknowledged the impact of the play, saying, “We probably shouldn’t have scored that layup. That incited their player.” As an Aquinas player (#13) returned to his bench, he encountered Inglewood players who appeared to provoke him. This confrontation escalated, leading to a bench-clearing brawl involving players, coaches, and fans.
Videos from the incident show the melee spreading to the sidelines, where spectators became involved. Coach Daryl Pegram of Aquinas described the events as “an unfortunate situation” and emphasized that it overshadowed the quality of the game. “Emotions ran high. We hope these young men can learn from it. It was a great game, it just sucked it ended that way,” he said.
Crowe attempted to defuse the situation by wrapping up the Aquinas player in an effort to stop the fight. Yet, he faced further provocation when another Inglewood player pushed him, exacerbating the chaos. “I step in between and wrap him up so he can stop, but we get pushed and neither of us have physical control anymore,” Crowe explained.
The hostilities intensified, resulting in punches being thrown among players, coaches, and fans. The incident occurred in front of a packed gymnasium, where a strong Aquinas student section created a lively atmosphere. Crowe noted the excitement was palpable, but added, “I’m not sure Aquinas knew how to prepare for that.”
While Aquinas’ students had been supportive throughout the season, Crowe remarked on the heightened tensions. “One of the Aquinas assistant coaches was talking [trash] to our players,” he stated, indicating that this contributed to a shift in the game’s tone.
Inglewood’s team is led by highly regarded five-star prospect Jason Crowe Jr., who averaged an impressive 44 points per game and scored 43 points during the match. Following the contest, which ended with Inglewood winning 91-78, Pegram expressed that his team did not back down despite the confrontational atmosphere. “They thought they were going to impose their will on us and we didn’t allow that to happen,” he said.
As a result of the brawl, the CIF Southern Section will be informed about the incident. Typically, the section defers to the individual schools regarding disciplinary measures. If no action is taken by the schools, the section may impose penalties on players or coaches. The high school basketball season is set to conclude on February 4, 2024, with playoffs beginning the following week on February 11.
Due to the game being over when the brawl started, clearing the benches may not result in severe penalties. Therefore, while suspensions are likely, a high number of them is not anticipated.
For updates on high school sports, individuals can download the SBLive Sports app for real-time notifications and coverage of favorite teams and games.
