A brawl erupted in the final quarter of Friday’s PIAA 5A Boys first round playoff game. Game officials stopped the contest with 3:12 remaining in the fourth quarter and host Meadville leading by eight points. While officials were discussing multiple fouls, both personal and technical, an altercation took place in the bleachers behind the Meadville bench. It then spilled out onto the basketball court and included several players. Monday, after receiving reports from both schools, the PIAA declared the game a double forfeit, publicly censured both schools and placed requirements on both districts affecting their eligibility for next year’s district and state basketball tournaments.
PIAA Statement, issued Monday, March 10:
“Due to the blatant violations of the PIAA Bylaws, the Meadville vs. Uniontown basketball game will be recorded as a forfeiture for each team.
*-PIAA publicly censured both schools for the actions in the March 7, 2025 PIAA First Round Inter-District Basketball contest held at Meadville HS against Uniontown Area HS.
*-Both schools are removed from the PIAA Inter-District Basketball Tournament and are suspended from participation for the remainder of the 2024-25 basketball tournament.
*-Both schools are also removed from the 2025-26 PIAA Basketball Inter-District Basketball Tournament unless the following provisions are adhered to:
1) A plan of action will be submitted to PIAA detailing what processes are in place to prevent situations like this from occurring in the future. School submitted action plans are due by Wednesday, March 19th, 2025.
2) All players for the 2025-26 school year will complete the NFHS Sportsmanship module
3) All coaches in the 2025-26 basketball program will complete the NFHS Sportsmanship and the Teaching and Modeling Behavior modules.
4) The identified spectators from each school whose identities are known to school administration are to be banned from attendance at any and all school sponsored activities until June 15, 2026.
5) Each school is reprimanded for not addressing the unsportsmanlike behavior of their spectators which is a direct violation of the PIAA Bylaws as detailed in Article 1, Section 5, Spectators of the PIAA Bylaws.