Investigation threatens Desert Pines’ top seed

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Friday, Feb. 13, 2009 | 5:20 p.m.

An investigation into whether Desert Pines High used an ineligible player could determine if the school forfeits several games and delay Tuesday's start of the Sunrise Regional boys basketball tournament, officials said Friday.

Administrators at Desert Pines opened an investigation Friday morning to determine if it played three games with an ineligible player, said Ray Mathis, the district's executive director of instructional support and student activities.

The player is alleged to have participated in games on days he missed class, which would violate district ineligibility standards and force Desert Pines to forfeit those contests.

The forfeits would not change the teams who qualify for the regional, but could alter the seeding. Desert Pines is 11-0 in the Northeast Division entering its game tonight at Eldorado, which is 9-2 in league play.

Depending on the outcome of the investigation, either team could play Coronado — the Southeast Division's No. 4 seed — in the regional quarterfinal on Tuesday.

Mathis said the investigation has stalled because Desert Pines Principal Timothy Stephens, who is leading the investigation, can't reach one of the staffers he needs to question. That individual is in Winnemucca for the state wrestling tournament.

That uncertainty did not sit well with Coronado coach Paul Berg. He hopes officials move the game to Wednesday.

"That extra day would be huge," Berg said. "Now we have to prepare for two teams going in and that makes it more difficult for us. You want to know who you are playing so your kids can be ready mentally."

Jay Beesemyer, the assistant director of the NIAA, said any decision to postpone the tournament would be made by Eddie Bonine, the association's executive director.

That decision cannot be made until Desert Pines finalizes its investigation, which more than likely puts everything on hold until Tuesday. The district is closed Monday for Presidents Day.

"This is bad timing coming on the afternoon before a three-day weekend," Beesemyer said. "We aren't going to penalize a school (Coronado) that did nothing wrong."

Mathis echoed Beesemyer's comments.

"I told the principal that regions start Tuesday afternoon and we need to know," he said. "Unless he can get in contact with that teacher, I don't know how we will be able to resolve this until Tuesday morning."

Mathis said he will accept the results of Desert Pines' investigation and not conduct one of his own. Like all eligibility issues, he relies on school administrators to submit an accurate report.

"It's pretty much on the honor system and hopefully our schools act with integrity," he said.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or [email protected].