Fight breaks out during a Bridgeport and New Haven high school basketball game

The boys basketball team from Harding High School was playing against Hill Regional Career High School in New Haven when the fight broke out on Wednesday night.

Nicole Alarcon Soares and Frank Recchia

Feb 3, 2024, 1:10 AM

Updated 174 days ago

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Officials say a fight broke out on the court during a boys basketball game between players from Bridgeport and New Haven high schools, causing the game to be stopped.
The boys basketball team from Harding High School was playing against Hill Regional Career High School in New Haven when the fight broke out on Wednesday night.
The confrontation started with just under 40 seconds left on the clock, and Career High School was leading by a point. 
Officials say the game was stopped because of a fight, made up mostly of yelling and shoving, with no injuries reported.
Steve Nelson, from the nonprofit Color a Positive Thought, and a former Harding basketball coach said coaches need to be better prepared for situations like these. 
"The fix is that we have to make sure that coaches are being trained properly to deal with those inner-city issues that could sometimes spill into a basketball game,” Nelson said. “We also need to go to New Haven or New Haven come to Bridgeport, and Color a Positive Thought would entertain mediating it."
Community activist Tony Barr says he hopes these players have learned from the experience.
"The players all should get together and meet and apologize to each other," Barr said. "I love you guys for your competitiveness and being out there, willing to go out and play the sports, but you cannot go overboard."
Bridgeport and New Haven Public School officials said they are investigating the fight.
Bridgeport school officials declined to comment.


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