An eligibility scandal involving multiple teams led to the cancellation of the PSAL’s top-tier men’s basketball championship game and sparked a push for coaching reform.
New York City Department of Education Secretary David Banks said in a statement Saturday that the league has reinstated its eligibility office and conducted surprise audits for the first time in four years.
Those audits revealed academic eligibility violations by the Thomas Jefferson campus, and the campus was disqualified from the 4A playoffs on Tuesday.
According to the statement, this created a ripple that ultimately led to South Shore being found to be in violation of “age eligibility” requirements, which led to the closure of South Shore and Eagle Academy for Young Men II (2018) in St. John’s on Friday. This led to the cancellation of the final game in Brooklyn.
According to News 12Due to Jefferson’s violation, the semifinal game against South Shore was canceled and the quarterfinal game won by the Orange Wave was replayed between Eagle Academy for Young Men I (Bronx) and Stevenson.
After the win, Eagle Academy (Bronx) was disqualified and South Shore automatically advanced to the finals.
The paper said Jefferson lost an in-person appeal on Tuesday.
“Simply put, adults are putting young people’s long-term futures second to momentary high school glory on the court,” Banks said in a statement. “These adults aren’t helping the students, they’re just helping themselves.”
Jefferson head coach Lawrence “Bud” Pollard and South Shore athletic director Pat Trani did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Post, and Chancellor’s Office will also feature Eagle II (Brooklyn). He did not immediately respond to a request for clarification. He was named champion following his most recent forfeit.
Staff involved may face further repercussions.
“We will take appropriate disciplinary action against any staff member who engages in misconduct at a sporting event,” Banks said in a statement.
Top-seeded Eagle II (Brooklyn) advanced to the finals by defeating Brooklyn College High School 55-46 at Queens College on March 9, giving them a chance to repeat as champions after winning last year’s title.
Second-seeded South Shore, which defeated Eagle II in the 2022 championship, defeated Boys & Girls High School and James Monroe Campus to advance to the semifinals against Eagle Academy (Bronx).
