Eight players suspended for roles in Sierra Vista-Bonanza altercation

The players, whose names were not released by the Clark County School District or the Southern Nevada Officials Association, sat out games Monday. Sierra Vista played at Western, and Bonanza visited Spring Valley.

Also, Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association commissioner Eddie Bonine said one of the five Sierra Vista players was suspended an additional four games by the school for entering the stands and being involved in a separate incident.

All eight players were ejected from Friday’s game after a foul with eight seconds remaining sparked an incident during which two players left the Sierra Vista bench. Under NIAA rules, an ejected player is suspended for his team’s next game.

Sierra Vista was leading by double figures when one of its players leaped to catch an apparent alley-oop pass and was fouled by a Bonanza player.

“He was undercut by a Bonanza player,” officials association commissioner Marc Ratner said. “(The players) came up and started pushing and shoving, and other people joined in. … The referees got order restored very quickly.”

Ratner reviewed game films from both teams, spoke with game officials and administrators from both schools and met with CCSD officials before determining the suspensions.

“I’m very, very happy with the way the game officials handled the situation,” he said.

Ratner and CCSD assistant athletic director Pam Sloan said order had been restored and Bonanza’s team had gone to its locker room when another incident broke out in the stands.

“We basically had two different situations,” Sloan said.

CCSD police used pepper spray in an attempt to break up the second incident, during which a Sierra Vista player went into the stands and apparently participated.

Bonine said that player was given the additional suspension by Sierra Vista’s athletic administration, which could not be reached for comment.

“Schools have the option to expand the game suspensions as they wish,” Sloan said. “I completely support the decisions Mr. Ratner made.”

Ratner said a ruling regarding the outcome of the game — which was suspended at the time of the altercation — probably will be made within the next few days.

“Staffs from both schools did the best they could to de-intensify the situation,” said Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association commissioner Eddie Bonine. “It got ugly fast, and that’s unfortunate. To my knowledge, everything was handled properly.”

The teams will meet again at Sierra Vista on Feb. 13 in the regular-season finale.

“We just continue emphasizing with schools how important having a police presence is,” Sloan said. “The coaches did a great job trying to control the situation. The officials handled it perfectly.