The Crane Lady Pirates earned a 42-39 victory over Sparta on Tuesday night in a game that came down to the final seconds - and ended with an unexpected disturbance in the stands.

Crane led 42-39 with 7.6 seconds remaining when Sparta pushed the bull up the court for one last possession. As the buzzer sounded, a Spartan shooter released a potential game-tying three. Officials quickly ruled the attempt no shot, inferring an offensive push-off against the defender prior to taking the shot.

The call secured the win for the Pirates in a game that had been tightly contested throughout.

No JV Game Played

A shortened JV matchup had originally been planned for after the varsity contest due to Sparta's limited roster numbers. However, the JV game did not take place, following an unrelated post-game altercation in the bleachers.

As fans were exiting, an adult male began louding confronting game officials regarding the final call, and then began directing his comments towards nearby Crane spectators. The situation escalated into a verbal dispute between the man and a Crane fan. Crane School's Resource Officer, with school admin and others nearby, intervened and escorted the individual out of the gym. No further issues were reported.

As he was being removed, the man stated that he was a school board member from Sparta. Crane.news has not independently verified his role with the district.

The evening concluded quietly following the removal.

Crane Lady Pirates will continue their season on Thursday, December 11, hosting Diamond.