VIDEO: Springdale, Fayetteville players face suspension for role in melee

NWA Democrat-Gazette/BEN GOFF @NWABENGOFF Springdale police officer Gomez Zackious breaks up Austin Garrett (1) of Fayetteville and Jajuan Boyd (right) of Springdale during a brawl on the court Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, during the game at Springdale's Bulldog Gym.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/BEN GOFF @NWABENGOFF Springdale police officer Gomez Zackious breaks up Austin Garrett (1) of Fayetteville and Jajuan Boyd (right) of Springdale during a brawl on the court Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, during the game at Springdale's Bulldog Gym.

A melee which marred the end of a boys basketball game last Friday night has led to the suspension of multiple players for tonight’s 6A-West Conference games.

With 12.3 seconds left in the game at Springdale, Fayetteville’s Austin Garrett was charged with a flagrant foul in a battle for a rebound with Springdale High’s Tavari Eckwood. As the two players went to the floor, players and fans from both schools emptied onto the floor, setting off a wild and potentially violent scene.

School officials and law enforcement were able to calm the tensions and the final seconds of the game were played with Springdale claiming a 50-46 win. The loss kept Fayetteville (19-5, 10-2 6A-West) from clinching the No. 1 seed in the 6A-West, while the win kept Springdale’s post-season hopes alive heading into the final two games of the regular season, starting tonight.

Fayetteville will have eight players available for tonight’s game at Rogers Heritage, Bulldogs coach Kyle Adams said. By rule, any player who left the bench and went onto the court could face suspension for the next game. At the conclusion of Friday's game, the only Springdale players who were left were the five players on the court.

“We had four players who did not leave the bench area, and the four players who were on the court at the time,” Adams said. “Austin was also on the floor, but the flagrant foul is an automatic ejection, so he won’t play, either.”

In all, six Fayetteville players were suspended for their participation in the melee. The Purple'Dogs have already clinched a playoff berth, but are trying to secure a top seed, which would mean a first-round bye in the 6A state tournament next week. Adams said he did not anticipate bringing up any players from the junior varsity for tonight's game at Heritage.

Springdale (11-12, 5-7) is in a battle for one of the remaining playoff spots in the 6A-West. The Bulldogs travel to Bentonville tonight. There are three teams in the mix for the two remaining playoff spots in the conference. Springdale and Heritage are both 5-7 in league play, one game ahead of Bentonville West at 4-8.

Red'Dogs coach Jeremy Price said Monday he was still not sure how many of his players would miss tonight's game.

"It is an ongoing process," Price said via text message. "We do not know at this time who is in and who is out."

Adams repeated the same thing he said following Friday's game in regards to the incident.

"This was an unfortunate ending to the game," Adams said Monday. "Both teams played really hard. It was a physical game. Our kids did not respond well to adversity at all. We need to grow and learn from this and be better than that. I think we will."

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