INDIANAPOLIS – The respective boys basketball seasons for Hammond and Griffith high schools at all levels have been cancelled for the remainder of 2014‐15 season including the state tournament, IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox announced today.

The decision among additional penalties comes as a result of incidents on Saturday night at Griffith High School during the varsity boys basketball game between the two schools. With Griffith leading 4‐0 in the first quarter, a Hammond player shoved a Griffith player from behind as he was attempting to score causing him to impact the wall head‐first. Within seconds, players and coaches from both teams left their benches and some spectators entered the playing floor pushing, shoving and some punches exchanged. The game was called by game officials with 5:32 remaining in the first quarter and Griffith police were called to help restore order at the scene.

The Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. maintains by‐laws that speak to the administrative responsibilities of a member school during interscholastic competition as well as the conduct, character and discipline of students and coaches. Cox and Assistant Commissioners Phil Gardner and Sandra Walter conducted a meeting with administrators and coaches of both schools today to review specific details of this incident and to chart a course of correction to ensure future incidents of this nature are eliminated. Hammond High School representatives attending were Principal Mescha Lammy, Athletic Director Larry Moore, and Boys Basketball Coach Larry Moore, Jr. Griffith High School representatives attending were Principal Brian Orkis and Athletic Director and Boys Basketball Coach Gary Hayes.

It is with regret yet purpose the following sanctions have been issued to Hammond High School and Griffith High School:

• Both member schools have been suspended from participation in next month’s IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament. Sectional 17, hosted by Hammond Gavit, shall be redesigned as a five‐team tournament. Griffith and Hammond high schools shall not receive any sectional tournament revenue from this year’s tournament.
• Remaining Regular Season Contests at all levels are cancelled. For all away varsity contests, both schools shall pay the forfeiture fee of $500.00 to each hosting school on their remaining schedules. Both member schools shall inform all remaining opponents at all levels of their forfeitures of these contests and copies of those written notices shall be forwarded to the IHSAA.
• The contest between the two schools of Saturday, February 7, 2015 shall stand as a double forfeit.
• Coach and Student Education Components ‐ Each basketball coach (paid and voluntary) from both schools shall complete the Teaching and Modeling Behavior course available on the NFHSLearn.com website. Each varsity student‐athlete from both schools shall complete the Sportsmanship course found on the NFHSLearn.com website. Both schools shall produce the respective certificates of completion for these courses to the Commissioner for inspection. It is also strongly encouraged that all remaining boys basketball players in both programs complete the Sportsmanship course found on the NFHSLearn.com website.
• Both school’s boys basketball teams shall be placed on probation for the entire 2015‐16 school year. This probation is a severe type of warning. It is official notice that serious violations have occurred, are a matter of record and future, similar incidents will not be tolerated. Failure to adhere to the stated by‐laws of this corporation and/or playing rules provided by the IHSAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) may result in additional penalties including, but not limited to, an entire school suspension of membership from the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc.

Video from Northwest Times of Indiana