Texas High School Basketball Programs Stripped of UIL Title, Hit With Postseason Ban
A Texas high school athletics department is mired in controversy regarding both of its basketball teams — one being stripped of its 2021-22 UIL state championship and another being banned from 2022-23 postseason play.The Duncanville boys basketball team was forced to forfeit all games from the 2021-22 season for rostering an ineligible player on the team — including all UIL postseason games and the 2022 Conference 6A State Championship.
Additionally, the school’s girls basketball team will be suspended from this year’s playoffs for violating recruiting rules and practice restrictions.A recent story from Fox4News.com detailed the situations that led to the Duncanville boys team being stripped of its state title and the girls team being suspended from postseason play. Below is an excerpt from the Fox4News.com story.
The ineligible player, Anthony Black, now plays at the University of Arkansas. In the summer of 2021, he transferred from Coppell to Duncanville.
Last year, the UIL ruled him ineligible to play because of the nature of the transfer. He ultimately played due to court rulings. Monday, the UIL said it didn’t change its initial ruling, and punished Duncanville ISD.
The district disputes that call saying, “the player’s eligibility was the subject of court action. At all times that the student played at Duncanville, the player did so under a valid court order.”
The UIL also suspended Duncanville High School head coach David Peavy for one year and will be on probation for three years.
The girls’ basketball team will also be suspended for from this year’s playoffs for violating recruiting rules and practice restrictions.
According to the UIL, Coach LeJeanna Howard advertised she was having an open gym tryout back in August, two months before practices are allowed to start.
Howard denied it was a try-out for the team, calling it just an open gym. She did admit it was her responsibility to check what is posted on the team’s social media page. Howard was suspended for a year with three years of probation.
The Duncanville girls team is currently ranked No. 4 in the state by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.
Duncanville’s Athletic Director Dwight Weaver was given a public reprimand and the girls team as a whole will be on probation for the next three years.
Duncanville ISD released a statement Monday evening saying prior to the hearing they already acted to impose a “substantial and appropriate disciplinary suspension for Coach Howard.”
The district said they respect the committee’s decision regarding the punishment of the girls program, and that it strongly disagrees with the UIL stripping away the boys state title.
“These are significant and unprecedented consequences for both programs, and students will suffer the most from today’s decisions,” said Duncanville ISD Superintendent Dr. Smith.
To read the full story from Fox4News.com about the Duncanville basketball teams, click here.