Georgia High School Basketball Game Turns Violent as Player Faces Charges

A Rockmart High School player is charged with simple battery after a physical altercation during a game against Sonoraville High School, reportedly triggered by alleged racial slurs.

A fight broke out during a basketball game between Sonoraville High School and Rockmart High School in Calhoun, Georgia, on January 3, 2025.
A 16-year-old Rockmart player pushed and punched two Sonoraville players during the third quarter of the game, as captured in a widely shared video.
The Rockmart player reportedly reacted after being provoked by repeated use of a racial slur, according to the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
The player has been charged as a juvenile with two counts of simple battery following the altercation.
Both schools involved in the incident have not yet issued public statements addressing the fight or its aftermath.