Parents and students got a lot more than they bargained for at a recent basketball game when they became witnesses to a fight that broke out between one of the team’s coaches and the referee while on the court.
TMZ Sports has obtained footage from a spectator who was at their game at Santiago High School in California last weekend. The footage shows clearly that the referee is the one who approaches the coach right before getting up close and personal with him, leading to the ref punching the coach square in the face and the man crumbling to the ground.
It didn’t stop there though, the ref continued to throw punch after punch while the coach was still down.
According to TMZ Sports, the referee is a man named Brandon Knapper, who appeared to have been arguing with the coach, later identified as Rob Alexander, before the whole altercation began. Knapper is a former college ball player for West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and San Bernadino.
“We’re told cops responded to the scene,” reported TMZ Sports, “and Alexander was taken to the hospital. The game did not continue.”
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“Law enforcement tells us Alexander requested prosecution against Knapper, who turned himself in and was charged with battery causing serious bodily injury and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury — both felonies.”
In the aftermath of the embarrassing moment which has now caught nationwide attention, the Hesperia Unified School district responded to a request for comment from TMZ Sports.
“The District is thankful for the swift and decisive action taken by the event promoters and local law enforcement. We are also happy to report that Coach Alexander is in good spirits and looking forward to returning to coaching and teaching as soon as possible. We have the utmost confidence that law enforcement, CIF, and Oak Hills High School, with the support of the District, will investigate the incident thoroughly and handle it appropriately.”
Knapper has since been released on $25,000 bail and is set to report to court on November 3rd.