An eligibility scandal in the New York City high school basketball league that prompted the cancellation of a championship game was more widespread than the education department initially disclosed, records show.
The revelation comes after Schools Chancellor David Banks announced on Saturday that two teams in the highest basketball division had been disqualified for violating age and academic eligibility requirements. The statement did not elaborate on the violations, but Public School Athletic League rules require student athletes to pass a certain number of classes in order to participate in high school sports. Rules also state that students can only participate up to their 19th birthday.
But since Banks’ announcement, a Gothamist review of the league’s records shows more disqualifications occurred since February and were not previously announced. And the lack of details from officials has caused rumors to run wild in school communities where the elite basketball teams are a major part of campus life. The fact that the department still hasn’t declared a tournament champion even though the season is effectively over only adds to the intrigue.
“It’s a major stain [on the league]. I don’t know if stain remover is going to be able to remove the stain. Or if stain remover can remove it, they’re going to have to use a lot of stain remover,” said Ronald Naclerio, who coaches the Benjamin N. Cardozo High School basketball team and is the coach with the most wins in PSAL and New York state public school history.
Banks’ statement released over the weekend indicated that two teams in the citywide playoffs had been disqualified. The statement said Thomas Jefferson High School was disqualified for violations of academic eligibility issues before its first playoff game. South Shore High School was disqualified ahead of the championship due to an age eligibility violation.
A Gothamist review of PSAL records, as well as interviews with basketball coaches in the…
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