Latest HS Basket-Brawl: G.W. Carver and Valley High School - Alabama

It's that time of year when high school basketball games start getting a little more heated, the fans get a little more rowdy and the brawls--both on and off the court--get more common. here's more from USA Today (video clip below):

School officials are investigating after a big brawl broke out during a high school basketball playoff game in Montgomery. The fight cleared the benches of both G.W. Carver and Valley High schools and halted the semifinal game.

The Central Regional Tournament of the Alabama High School Athletic Association game was being played at the Alabama State University Acadome on Tuesday afternoon.

Valley's Enrique Florence fouled Carver's Roquez Johnson with 6:23 remaining in the fourth quarter. Johnson shoved Florence and both benches emptied.

Fans poured out of the stands onto the court. Police ended fights on the court but more erupted in the stands.

High School Basketball Game Suspended After Fan Punches Player

It seems to be the season of high school basket-brawl games, with parents and fans streaming out of the stands to assault other fans and players. The latest: from the State of Washington where the KingCo 4A Crest Division boys basketball game between Redmond and fourth-ranked Garfield turned ugly. Here's more from the Seattle Times:

In a bizarre scene, a Redmond High School senior charged out of the stands and punched Garfield player De'Andre Taylor in the face, spurring punches from both sides as the two teams and fans had to be separated.

The Redmond student who threw the punch reacted to a collision and verbal exchange between Taylor and Redmond player Max Wisman in a game where opposing fans traded derisive chants. Referees had stopped the action to separate the two players when the student ran onto the floor.

The Garfield bench emptied and eight Bulldogs were ejected by referees for leaving the bench area and coming onto the floor in the mayhem. With Garfield leading 50-33, the game was suspended with 5:26 remaining.

School officials, referees and coaches huddled for 15 minutes before concluding the safest thing was to suspend the game.

"We just felt it was too hostile of an environment here, and it created a safety concern for everybody," said Redmond athletic direct John Appelgate. "Garfield was going to be finishing the game with four [actually three] players, because of players leaving the bench. What we've agreed to do is suspend the game, send in video and go with whatever decision WIAA [Washington Interscholastic Activities Association] makes. I've never seen anything like this in my life."