pruitt and reese ineligible

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SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Gabe Pruitt, Ray Reese Declared
Ineligible For One Year--(Nov. 6, 2002)

The Los Angeles City Section of the CIF has ruled that two of Westchester's top players, Gabriel Pruitt and Ray Reese, will be ineligible for competition at any level this season, according to Jeff Halperin, Assistant Commissioner of the Los Angeles City Section. A committee which met yesterday to review the eligibility of two Westchester student-athletes, and the circumstances related to the transfers by each of them resulted in the ruling which was announced publicly this afternoon.

According to Mr. Halperin, the hearing officers did not make any findings regarding whether anyone connected with Westchester took improper action nor has the committee determined whether any penalty will be imposed against the school in connection with the two transfers. "There will be another hearing next Tuesday to consider issues pertaining to the school itself," Halperin said this afternoon by telephone.

Mr. Halperin cited student privacy laws and "other legal concerns" in refusing to provide further details concerning the specific facts which were involved in each student's case.

Mr. Halperin also cited the same concerns in refusing further comment about which specific provisions of the CIF Bylaws the committee found to have been violated by the students which resulted in a determination of complete ineligibilty (as opposed to simply being ineligible for varsity-level competition). "Other than stating that the two players were determined to be ineligible for any level of competition this season, I cannot make any other comment right now," Halperin stated.

Westchester administrators were also unavailable for comment.

Based on the committee's intended ruling of complete ineligibility, it is more than likely that the committee found that there were intentionally false statements made in connection with the eligibility of the two students. Halperin did confirm that the ineligibility penalty being imposed was limited to one year.

CIF Bylaw 200 (D) provides:

D. STUDENT ELIGIBILITY - PENALTY FOR PROVISION OF FALSE OR FRAUDULENT INFORMATION

(1) If it is discovered that any parent, guardian, caregiver or student has provided false information in regards to any aspect of eligibility status on behalf of a student, that student is subject to immediate ineligibility for CIF competition at any level in any sport for a period of up to 24 calendar months from the date the determination was made that false information was provided. (Revised October 2001 Federated Council).

(2) If it is discovered that persons associated with the student or the school (coach, teachers, parents, friends, etc.) provided false information in order to fraudulently gain favorable eligibility status for a student, that student is subject to immediate ineligibility for competition at any Section member school at any level in any sport for a period of up to 24 calendar months from the determination that false information was provided whether the student was aware of the fraudulent information or not. (Revised October 2001 Federated Council).