A referee who was attacked after a Houston middle school basketball match said other referees are now panicking because of the violent assault he endured, Local 2 Investigates reported on Thursday.

"I didn't even see him," said referee Jeremy Sanders, who has been officiating games for the University Interscholastic League (UIL) for four years.

Police were called to Fondren Middle School on South Braeswood Wednesday night when an angry fan jumped from the stands and attacked the referee.

Officers reported the fan was upset with his team's loss and blamed the referee for the defeat.

Sanders said the attacker waited until his vision was obstructed as he was changing clothes, and until another referee left his side.

"He just came from out of the crowd and hit me," said Sanders, who suffered a bloody lip.

The assailant got away and no arrests or specific information about his identity is listed in the Houston Police report on the ordeal.

Some parents and kids who attended the game said they did not even see the attack happen, which could hamper the search for the assailant's identity.

Sanders said Fondren Middle School had just pulled out a close victory over Hamilton Middle School from the Houston Heights.

Fondren parents and students rushed from the stands and flooded the court to celebrate, and that's when Sanders said the man "sucker punched" him and then began screaming expletives about his officiating.

He said other UIL referees are now scared and "panicking" after learning of the attack.

UIL officials in Austin said they were still gathering details about the encounter.

A spokesman for the Houston Independent School District said administrators and coaches were nearby and helped to "minimize" the disruption. He said the district is cooperating with the police investigation.

Sanders said the encounter now has him wanting to watch his back at future games.

"It's going to make me a whole lot more alert now to my surroundings," said Sanders.