Youth basketball ref attacked following game

The team has been banned from future competition.

A youth basketball game in Georgia devolved into anarchy and left a referee seriously injured following a group attack by numerous players over the weekend.

It’s unclear what sparked the brawl following competition at the “Love of the Game” held at Stronghold Christian Church in Lithonia, just outside of Atlanta — however video shows numerous 8th grade players chasing down and attacking a referee. TMZ is reporting the official required 30 stitches to close wounds sustained in the attack, but is expected to make a full recovery.

The tournament, which was not sanctioned by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) was organized by Kenneth Tarver of KB Sports. Tarver said the team who initiated the attack on the referee will be banned from all future events — but that doesn’t explain much of what we see in the video.

At no point do we see any adults intervening in the attack. Whether parents watching from the stands, other referees, or tournament officials — it appears everyone just stood back and allowed the attack to happen. At one moment in the video we can see another referee staring directly at the attack and simply shake his head, before returning his attention to the game he’s officiating.

Tarver is claiming he plans to “beef up security” at future events, though there’s no explanation how an attack lasted for almost 30 seconds, or why adults captured in the video chose to laugh at what was unfolding, rather than stop a group beating.