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Austin-East basketball receives 2-year postseason ban

The Austin-East Roadrunners basketball program has been banned from the postseason, the team confirmed to 10News on Friday.

The Austin-East Magnet High School basketball program has been banned from the postseason by the TSSAA this year and in 2019 after a fight during one of the team's games last weekend.

The team is allowed to finish the rest of their regular season games.

The postseason ban comes after the Roadrunners basketball team was involved in a fight with the Brainerd High School team in the middle of a game in Chattanooga on Jan. 27. Cell phone video shows players, parents and fans from both sides took part in the conflict.

Brainerd was given the same two-year postseason ban and probation sanctions, according to WRCB-TV.

The TSSAA asked both schools to review the incident and determine punishments for their teams.

In a letter to the school Friday, TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress said, "While some of the actions proposed by the Austin-East Magnet High School administration are appropriate, collectively those actions are insufficient in view of the seriousness of the January 27 occurrence."

In the letter, Childress said Austin-East will be placed on restrictive probation for the rest of this season and for the 2018-19 school year. While a school is on restrictive probation, they will be banned from postseason play.

Austin-East will then be on probation for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years. They will be allowed to participate in postseason play while on probation.

The school is also being fined $3,500.

Coach Marcus Stanton told 10News Friday the school plans to appeal the TSSAA's decision.

"We are currently putting together an appeal in hopes of having these sanctions lifted," Stanton said.

PREVIOUS: Investigations underway into Austin-East, Brainerd basketball fight

"We plan to continue practicing and preparing for our next contest on Tuesday against Alcoa," Stanton said.

The Roadrunners posted a 14-2 record prior to the game against Brainerd.

You can read the TSSAA's letter to Austin-East below.

Austin-East sanctions from TSSAA

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