A US college basketball game between Kansas State and the University of Kansas ended in a mass brawl with one player wielding a stool above his head.
The fight broke out at the end of KU’s 81-60 home win on Tuesday.
University of Kansas (KU) forward Silvio de Sousa taunted DaJuan Gordon after blocking his shot with a tenth of a second remaining in the game.
Players and staff from both sides were seen throwing punches as the incident spilled into the disabled seating area.
Two players from either side have been suspended by the Big 12 – the league’s governing body – with De Sousa banned for 12 games.
His KU team-mate David McCormack was given a two-game ban, while Kansas State’s James Love will miss eight games and Antonio Gordon three games.
“This kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated and these suspensions reflect the severity of the evening’s events,” said commissioner Bob Bowlsby.
KU head coach Bill Self said: “I am disappointed and embarrassed by what transpired because there is no place for that type of behaviour in any competition.
“After meeting with my team and discussing the incident in detail, it is evident that everyone fully understands the magnitude of their actions and all are remorseful for what occurred.”
The home team were 22 points in front with seconds left on the clock when De Sousa was stripped by Gordon near midcourt, the Kansas State man then attempting a layup.
De Sousa recovered to block the shot in the process sending Gordon to the floor, before drawing a technical foul for taunting him.
After Kansas State’s Antonio Gordon and David Sloan went after De Sousa, players from both benches ran to the floor.
Local police officers and coaches took several minutes to break up the fight, during which De Sousa held a stool above his head.
Following the incident, both teams were summoned back to court to play out the one-tenth of a second remaining. Only five players from each team returned as the rest had been ejected and they were met with a chorus of boos from fans.
Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber added: “I’m extremely disappointed in our team’s actions in the aftermath of the game at Kansas. They do not reflect what our programme is about here at K-State. Our team will live with the consequences of those actions and move forward in a positive manner.”
