High school basketball player arrested after sickening sucker punch

A high school basketball player in the United States has been arrested after waiting until it was time to shake an opponents hand to hit them with a sucker punch.

Punches were thrown after Carlisle High School's match against Nevada High School in Des Moines, with a 17-year-old boy arrested over the incident.

FRESH TWIST: Ben Simmons' latest move in standoff with 76ers

LEBRON BOMBSHELL: NBA superstar James in Covid-19 protocols

Carlisle senior Carter Prenosil is suspected of punching Nevada High's Ty Dittmer in the stomach and head, with Dittmer reportedly left unconscious for several minutes after the blow.

According to local media station KCCI, a police report lists the 17-year-old Prenosil as facing a felony charge of wilful injury.

A video of the fight went viral on social media, footage showing a player walking through the handshake line with the opposing team, then raising his fist and repeatedly punching another player, who falls to the ground.

The criminal complaint said that Dittmer was punched unconscious and suffered a concussion, as well as a cut to his lip that required four stitches.

“The whole gym went crazy. No one knew what to do or nothing. And the Nevada guy was out for a good couple minutes. You could tell something was definitely wrong with him,” Carlisle High School student Adam Olinger told KCCI.

The origin of the fight isn't officially known, but according to students who were there, Prenosil and Dittmer jawed at each other at the end of the game.

“He said something during the game that Carter didn't like so at the end, Carter went up and finished it. Which was a little way too beyond if you ask me. He didn't have to go that far,” said Carlisle High School student JayJay Noring.

According to WOI-TV, Prenosil has been released on bond, and the investigation is ongoing.

Nevada superintendent Dr. Steve Gray said in a statement that Dittmer "is going to be alright."

Bucks pip Hornets on LaMelo Ball's career night

The Milwaukee Bucks have overturned an 18-point deficit against the Charlotte Hornets with a Giannis Antetokounmpo go-ahead lay-up with two seconds left in regulation snatching a 127-125 home victory.

Antetokounmpo had 40 points and 12 rebounds and Khris Middleton added 21 points for the Bucks, who have extended their winning streak to eight games.

LaMelo Ball had a career-high 36 points for the Hornets, while Kelly Oubre Jr. added 25 and Miles Bridges 22

Middleton buried a 3-pointer from the top left to put Milwaukee in front 123-122 with 52 seconds left. Antetokounmpo's lay-in on the Bucks' next possession was negated by an offensive foul.

Gordon Hayward missed a jumper from the top of the key for the Hornets, and Middleton hit two free throws to make it 125-122 with 8.6 seconds remaining.

Ball made a fadeaway 3-pointer - his eighth of the game - with 5.9 seconds left to pull the Hornets even at 125.

After a timeout, Jru Holliday fed Antetokounmpo near the top of the lane for the decisive lay-up.

Elsewhere, Jayson Tatum scored 26 points and pulled in a career-high 16 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics past the Philadelphia 76ers 88-87 in a bruising eastern conference showdown.

Luka Doncic scored 18 of his team-high 28 points in the first quarter and dished out 14 assists in 27 minutes to power the Dallas Mavericks to a 139-107 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Trae Young made two crucial free throws in the final seconds of the game to help the Atlanta Hawks fend off the Indiana Pacers 114-111 while the Orlando Magic rallied from an early 16-point deficit to defeat Denver Nuggets 108-103 and end their seven-game losing streak.

Former Sydney Kings import Jae'Sean Tate had a night out in the Houston Rockets' 114-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder with a career-high 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five blocked shots.

With Yahoo Sports US/AAP

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.