The Bobster
Senior News Editor since 2004
Camden high school basketball game suspended after fight
It happened during a game featuring Camden and East Side High Schools on Thursday night.
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Camden high school basketball game suspended after fight
By Ross DiMattei, CBS3 Staff
February 17, 2023 / 6:01 AM / CBS Philadelphia
CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) -- A high school basketball championship was suspended Thursday night after a fight broke out. The incident happened during the title game of the Camden County Boys Basketball Tournament between Camden and Eastside High Schools.
An on-court altercation began during the game and out of an abundance of caution, Camden County School District officials suspended play.
No one was seriously injured.
In video from the game, it looks like one of the Eastside players in orange sets a screen that one of the Camden players took exception to.
Then, those two start to square up. That's when chaos quickly breaks loose.
You can see a combination of players, coaches, and fans swarming the court. Some of the players had to be held back from trying to join the fight.
We're told no one was seriously injured, but the game was suspended by Camden County School District officials out of an abundance of caution.
Outside the school, a police presence was set up.
Camden entered last night's game with a record of 23-2, led by two of the top five recruits in the country according to ESPN.
Both have committed to play for Kentucky next year.
It's not clear if either player was involved in this incident.
"This incident is not an indication of who we are, and we expect our student-athletes to compete with sportsmanship. The district will take all the necessary steps for appropriate disciplinary action," a spokesperson for the Camden City school district said in a statement.
Leaving the bench to run onto the court during a game is grounds for suspension or disciplinary action.
With the state tournament scheduled to begin next week, any discipline for these players could significantly impact their chance of winning a state championship.
The same night, a man was fatally stabbed at a basketball game in Trenton. The New Jersey School Interstate Athletic Association says it's aware of both incidents.
"The NJSIAA is monitoring the situations related to yesterday's basketball games in Camden and Mercer County, while awaiting additional information from authorities and all involved schools," a spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "Certainly, our hearts go out to the family and friends of the stabbing victim in Mercer County."