South Elgin forfeits senior night game

South Elgin’s boys basketball team was supposed to host Elgin Tuesday night for its senior night.

Instead, the Storm had to forfeit the game per IHSA rules after an incident in the closing seconds of their game Friday against East Aurora.

The incident, which took place just before the game ended, led to players from both benches coming onto the court which results in automatic suspensions.

East Aurora had to forfeit its next game as well, which was Saturday against West Aurora, and South Elgin’s penalty came Tuesday against the Maroons.

The problems Friday began in the final seconds with South Elgin leading 60-57. A hard foul sent one of the South Elgin players into the East Aurora fan section, according to Storm coach Philip Church.

“From there, a great basketball game became an uncontrollable event,” Church said.

Church credited East Aurora coach Rick Robinson for rushing in to get the Storm player out of the Tomcats’ fan section.

“But emotions from high school kids after a very physical game took over at that point,” Church said.

“We did have players step onto the court who were not involved in any substitutions or game flow at that time, a clear violation of NFHS rules,” Church said. “I am proud of our players, coaches and parents for helping pull our players away from the group that had surrounded them. Ultimately players from both sides did step onto the court and that is a clear violation of NFHS rules.”

South Elgin is still eligible to compete in the IHSA postseason, which begins for the Storm next week as the No. 13 seed playing No. 4 Stevenson in the Class 4A Prospect regional — part of the Class 4A Elgin sectional.

“It is an unfortunate stigma that we will have to work to overcome heading into the postseason,” Church said. “It does not represent the growth we have taken since December nor the culture we are trying to instill.”

An email to East Aurora about the incident was not immediately returned.