Wild brawl caught on video at HS basketball playoff game; 7 arrested, including 3 minors and 1 player

A wild brawl broke out during a Pennsylvania high school basketball playoff game last week, which resulted in seven arrests — including three 16-year-olds and one 18-year-old player.

The game was held last Friday at Meadville Area Senior High School, which is a little less than an hour south of Erie in the northwest corner of the state. Meadville went up against visiting Uniontown Area High School, which is about an hour and 20 minutes south of Pittsburgh.

Both schools must fulfill a list of requirements the PIAA imposed — or their boys basketball teams will be barred from next season’s state playoffs.

But the opponents never got to finish the contest.

With 3 minutes and 12 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter — and Meadville leading 63 to 55 — play was halted when a fight erupted in the stands; it soon spread to the court, TribLive reported.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Meadville police officers arrested Reginald Grooms, 44, of Uniontown; Notorious Grooms, 18, of Uniontown; Malik Wilson, 25, of Meadville; Joseph Chabot, 37, of Meadville; and three 16-year-olds who were not named, the outlet said. Police indicated that two of the 16-year-olds were from Meadville, and the other 16-year-old was from Uniontown, TribLive reported.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Notorious Grooms — a member of the Uniontown basketball team— along with Wilson, Chabot, and two of the juveniles were charged with disorderly conduct, the outlet said.

Reginald Grooms and the third juvenile were charged with simple assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct, TribLive noted.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Both teams forfeited the game, and neither moved on in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association boys basketball playoffs, TribLive reported.

Now what?

Both schools must fulfill a list of requirements the PIAA imposed — or their boys basketball teams will be barred from next season’s state playoffs, the outlet explained.

Each school must submit a plan of action “detailing what processes are in place to prevent situations like this from occurring in the future," TribLive said, adding that the deadline is March 19.

All players and coaches on the current roster must complete educational courses related to sportsmanship, the outlet noted.

Spectators “whose identities are known to school administration” must be banned from attendance at school-sponsored activities until June 15, 2026, TribLive added.

The PIAA also reprimanded each school for violating PIAA bylaws by “not addressing the unsportsmanlike behavior” of their spectators, the outlet also said.

Anything else?

The winner of the Uniontown-Meadville game was scheduled to face District 3 champion Hershey (22-3) in a second-round game, so Hershey received a bye, TribLive said.

Uniontown (22-5) was the fifth seed from the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (PIAA District 7) while Meadville (16-9) was the PIAA District 10 champion.

The brawl commences at the 1:30:44 mark in the below video:

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