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A Texas high school basketball player, upset that he was benched and facing suspension, allegedly pummeled his coach during a postgame parking lot beatdown, officials said Tuesday.
The 17-year-old player and his 22-year-old brother were booked on suspicion of assaulting a public servant before each posted a $20,000 bond and being released on Wednesday, the Montgomery County Jail said. NBC News does not usually name minors charged with a crime.
“I would have never thought in a million years this would happen to me with this his particular kid,” Willis High School coach Jeremy Clark told NBC News on Tuesday.
Hours before the alleged Dec. 5 assault, about 50 miles north of Houston, the player had been taken out of Willis’ game at Conroe High School for arguing with an opponent and referees, according to his coach.
Clark, 37, said he wanted the 17-year-old to cool off but the player angrily told an assistant coach and his teammates not to speak to him, leading to the benching.
Immediately after the road game, won by Willis, the suspect’s mother and brother angrily confronted the coach with a barrage of expletives.
“If I didn’t keep my cool, something could have happened at the opposing team’s school,” the third-year head coach said.
The team returned to its campus and got dressed in their locker room before Clark was confronted by the player and his brother in the parking lot, authorities said.
When the player was told he’d be suspended, that’s when he and his brother started punching, according to the coach.
“As they approached the victim, they began a verbal confrontation, which led to (the player) punching the victim in the face,” according to a sheriff’s statement. “At that same time, (the player’s brother) also began assaulting the coach.”
The alleged assault stunned Clark, who said he had a good relationship with the player.
“I’ve had this kid over to my house, I’ve mentored this kid, I’ve reached out to love this kid,” Clark said. “And just because I took a disciplinary action — because I try to run this program with integrity, dignity and respect — you turn on me like that?”
The attack left Clark with a black eye and scratches on his face, neck shoulder and elbow. Clark said he doesn’t regret any of his actions.
“The ruckus you caused at Conroe, the ruckus you’re causing right now, we can’t even enjoy the fact that we just beat a team we haven’t beaten in 15 years, just because you’re pissed off I made a decision to sit your child down,” Clark said.
“I told him something was going to have to happen. It’s respect for the team. If I let one kid get away with this, then everybody else will think they can get away with this kind of behavior.”
The suspect is no longer a student in the Willis Independent School District, a district spokesperson said Tuesday.
The player and his brother could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday.
Clark did not have to miss a game because of the incident and the team is 10-5 so far this young season.
Helen Kwong and Toby Lyles contributed.
