Sto-Rox administrators will press criminal charges against two mouthy adults who turned a high school basketball game into a Friday-night frenzy.

Police removed all 300 fans from the Sto-Rox gym with about three minutes remaining in a game between the home-standing Vikings and Quaker Valley. Officers then used pepper spray on those who dallied in the lobby.

"I'm quite frankly embarrassed about the situation because we could not de-escalate a verbal confrontation, even with six or seven police and security officers to do it," Sto-Rox Athletic Director Mike Colligan said yesterday.

Mr. Colligan said the two men who started the trouble will be charged with inciting a riot and disorderly conduct. In addition, both will be banned from the district's athletic events.

He would not identify either person or comment on whether they are related to members of the Sto-Rox boys' basketball team. Police in Stowe and McKees Rocks said they had not made any arrests.

Sto-Rox School Superintendent Fran Serenka said no students or players caused any trouble.

"It was adults behaving badly," Ms. Serenka said.

Mr. Colligan gave this account of how an ugly verbal exchange in the stands led to chaos:

With Quaker Valley leading by six or eight points in the fourth quarter, two Sto-Rox supporters began jawing with an opposing fan. The man from Quaker Valley quieted down as officers on the security detail moved in. But the two Sto-Rox rooters kept up their tirade, leading police to eject them.

Soon after, one of the men returned to the gym in defiance of the police order.

Police then decided to clear the gym of spectators before the renegade fan stirred up more trouble. The game stopped. Players sat on their benches while fans were herded out in groups.

Mike Patton, the Sto-Rox security chief, said officers unloosed pepper spray in the lobby after various people pushed, shoved or refused to move along.

Once all the spectators were removed, the game resumed. Staff members shut the doors from the lobby to the gym to prevent fumes from the pepper spray from bothering players. Quaker Valley won the game, 69-51.

Mr. Colligan said Sto-Rox administrators probably will announce a plan tomorrow to bar all spectators from home basketball games for at least the next month.

"For the safety of everybody, we think it's the right way to go," he said.