Newark Talk

[RichO]

High School Basketball: Top-ranked Shabazz could face playoff ban
Monday, February 26, 2007
BY GREGG LERNER AND MIKE HELFGOT
For the Star-Ledger
The No. 1-ranked Shabazz girls basketball team has exceeded the number of games permitted by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and is facing the possibility of being disqualified from the state tournament.

Shabazz, which won its sixth straight Essex County Tournament title Saturday and is scheduled to begin defense of its Group 3 title Thursday, will be punished by the association in some form today following a special committee meeting in Robbinsville, according to NJSIAA associate director Carol Parsons.

Parsons would not speculate on possible punishments and declined to say whether Shabazz's participation in the state tournament could be in jeopardy. Shabazz has won the Tournament of Champions three of the past four years, including last year. The state tournament begins tomorrow.

"I can't say it (state-tournament disqualification) is on the table or not," Parsons said. "It is a very difficult situation. People take care not to go over the (games played) limit. You wouldn't believe how many calls we receive about this. People mind this regulation so they can avoid what happened here."

Association rules state that any team that participates in two tournaments, as Shabazz has (the ECT and the Newark Public Schools Tournament), cannot exceed 20 regular-season games unless it plays no more than 26 total games. Shabazz (26-2) has played 21 regular-season games.

The NJSIAA was informed of the violation Saturday.

"I got hit with this (Saturday) morning," veteran Shabazz coach Vanessa Watson said. "I pray that it all works out."

Two years ago, Immaculate Heart Academy of Washington Township was undefeated and ranked No. 1 in The Star-Ledger Top 20 when it was disqualified on the eve of the state tournament because it was determined that the Bergen County school had used an ineligible player in 22 of its 24 games.