LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Controversy has struck one of our valley's top high school basketball teams.
Centennial High School's top-ranked Boy's Basketball team was forced to forfeit 18 games this week in a ruling by the NIAA, Nevada's governing body of prep sports, after an investigation found that a player on the Bulldogs was ineligible.
According to Centennial staff, the player in question was a senior who attended the school since his sophomore year and lived at a house in the Centennial zoning area for three years.
Channel 13's Nick Walters was invited to the team's practice Thursday, to speak with head coach Karen Weitz and assistant coach Riki Murakami.
They told us that an investigation by the NIAA found a player on the Bulldogs was ineligible because of zoning issues, causing them to forfeit 18 games.
In that stretch of forfeited games that were on or before the team's January 10 win over Coronado, the Bulldogs went 17-1.
But, the team argues there was a glitch in the system Register My Athlete, which the NIAA uses to keep track of player eligibility in Nevada.
"We wouldn't have known, the school wouldn't have had to check, doesn't need to check," assistant coach Riki Murakami said. "shouldn't have known, couldn't have known, and still we are being held responsible for something that is a glitch in the system."
We talked with parents and the Centennial coaches, who told us the player was cleared and eligible to play. Once the inquiry was made about the senior's possible ineligibility after the Coronado win, the Bulldogs stopped playing him.
They tell Channel 13 that NIAA is aware of that but punishing the team anyway.
Nick Walters: I know you've had two weeks since the inquiry and two days since the ruling. What's your reaction been?
Coach: My total reaction is, like I said, I'm devastated for my team. It's a sad situation, and the fact that coach said, there was no way for us to know. The way the process is set up is that we give the athletic office our rosters. Once they tell us they're cleared, they're cleared. Administration is taking responsibility but the consequences are all falling on our team.
Walters: The team had to forfeit 18 games for something that apparently isn't even something they did wrong. What was your instant reaction to the news?
Xavier Harris, parent of player: "Disappointment. I feel like the system has let these boys and Centennial down with what they're doing to them. I believe there's a system in place that allows certain schools to do certain things, to get away with certain things
Greg Marolda, parent of student: "If it's something that was wrong, then that's absolutely horrible. I would hope that this is cleared and they get to go out and be able to play. If it's something that was a glitch, that's totally unfair."
We reached out to the NIAA who sent Channel 13 this statement:
The team was informed by our office this week that it would need to forfeit 18 games due to a violation of the Nevada Administrative Code. We will not get into any specifics.
This decision moves Centennial from 1st place in the 5A Southern class down to 7th place and moves the team from 19-1 to 2-18. Their championship in December's Las Vegas Prep Tournament was voided in the process.
Centennial is still on track to be one of the eight teams to make playoffs with six games remaining on their schedule. But it doesn't make this any less frustrating for coaches, players, and parents.
The school has appealed the decision but says that the ruling will end being re-evaluated by the same NIAA board members that made the decision to begin with.
"You got to fight and you got to hope that somebody is going to come through and make this right and get those wins back for those kids," Weitz said. "That's the bottom line."
"I'd be upset (if I was a member of the team)," Marolda told Channel 13." These kids play 10, 12 years of travel ball and all that. The goal is to do well in school and try to win a championship. It's horrible.
"I would just hope they get a chance to redeem themselves," Marolda continued. "A glitch, to me, it's not official."
Channel 13 will keep you updated on the situation as it evolves.
