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Sports See other Sports Articles Title: Police called in to surpress a riot after state game Police called in to surpress a riot after state game A championship basketball game erupted into a "riot" at a Wayne high school Monday night when fans of both teams rushed the floor after a one-point overtime win, authorities said. Some 2,000 people packed the gym at Wayne Valley High School for the game between North Bergen and Passaic Tech. As time wound down in the close contest, fans on both sides began to taunt one another, Wayne police Capt. Paul Ireland said. When North Bergen missed a last-second shot at the end of overtime, giving Passaic Tech an 86-85 victory, fans streamed onto the court, some in celebration, others in anger. Ireland said Wayne police officers on the scene tried to form a barrier between the opposing sides but couldn't keep them apart. "At that point it just turned into a riot," Ireland said. "There was fighting on the floor, in the hallways, and it spilled out into the parking lot." Ireland said he was unsure how many people were involved in the brawl, but it was large enough to prompt an urgent call for assistance from police departments in Fairfield, Little Falls, Haledon, Totowa and Pequannock. Officers from William Paterson University in Wayne also responded. An 18-year-old North Bergen man, Christopher B. Macias, was charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest for striking a police sergeant in the chest outside the school, Ireland said. Macias, police said, had earlier been seen punching another person in the head during the melee. Arraigned in Wayne Municipal Court, he was later released in lieu of $10,000 bail. No serious injuries were reported, but the fight marred what had been a tight, back-and-forth game for the championship of the NJSIAA/ShopRite North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 Tournament. Passaic Tech coach Ron Austin said he was unaware of the fight's severity because he and his players quickly retreated to the locker room. He said no players were involved. "There was some pushing and shoving inside the gym, but my kids went into the locker room and we had our meeting," Austin said. "It was an emotional game." Police later escorted the players to the team bus, Austin said. Steve Timko, executive director of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, said he or other NJSIAA officials would speak with the police and both schools to determine whether some penalty is in order. "Without a doubt, this is something we will look at," Timko said. "This raises issues about sportsmanship, the safety of student athletes, the safety of spectators. Something like this is of a high level of concern." Passaic Tech is scheduled to play Linden tonight in the group semifinals. Ireland called the fracas unfortunate and "terrible." "They go to watch a good game, it's exciting," he said. "But to lose control at the end, it's just uncalled for. Group emotion sometimes gets the better of everybody."
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