After brawl, Beverly Hills-Santa Monica game without (off-court) drama

This time the drama stayed on the court.

Three weeks after a brawl broke out, there were TV crews and plenty of police officers ready in case there was even a hint of a repeat of what followed Tuesday night’s basketball game between Santa Monica and Beverly Hills high schools.

But school and local law enforcement officials reported no serious incidents.

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FOR THE RECORD: A previous version of this post gave the game score as 64-50. It was 56-40.

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Still, there was plenty of spirited screaming and shouting – both during and after Beverly Hills’ 56-40 victory. And that lead to a few “warm” spots, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District spokeswoman Gail Pinsker said.

Beverly Hills Police Lt. Renato Moreno said one juvenile was briefly detained across the street from the high school but was released after officers determined “no crime had occurred.” The juvenile was part of a large, loud group, which dispersed around the time of the arrest, Moreno said. It was not immediately clear whether the student was affiliated with either school, Moreno said.

Administrators from both schools had ramped up safety precautions in the run-up to Tuesday’s game after video surfaced showing a parking-lot skirmish that broke out when the schools met about on Jan. 23. The dust-up involved verbal taunting, a fight, and what Santa Monica High Principal Eva Mayoral called “considerable damage” to a vehicle.

Consequently, police were out in force Tuesday. Moreno said normal staffing was supplemented with more officers assigned specifically to the game. The Times Eric Sondheimer reported that eight Beverly Hills police officers and two from Santa Monica showed up at gym. Santa Monica High also sent eight security personnel to supplement those from Beverly Hills.

“People left their Mercedes home and took their Lexus,” one parent joked.

And this time, cars left the parking lot unharmed.

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