Nicholls hosts sales competition
February 23, 2017
Johnny Sanchez
February 24, 2017
The Central Lafourche boys’ basketball team was easily one of the Top 32 teams in Class 5A.
But whether or not the team will get the right to compete in the playoffs is very much in the balance after an incident this weekend, which has the team’s status firmly in limbo.
The Louisiana High School Athletic Association was set to release boys’ basketball playoff brackets on Monday afternoon, but then sent out a news release stating that they’re not on hold, pending a hearing into Central Lafourche’s case.
The Trojans were beating East St. John after two quarters on Friday night in Reserve. As the teams headed into the locker room for halftime, a multi-player fight broke out between the teams, which led officials to call the game.
Over the weekend, the LHSAA jumped in and declared the contest a double forfeit loss for both teams, which presents a big-time problem for the Trojans.
In similar situations throughout the season, games that have
been ended early because of fighting have had consistent punishments: a double-forfeit, then an additional one-game forgeit for each team in their next contest.
For the Trojans, that “next contest” would be a playoff game, which means that the Trojans may or may not be allowed a spot in the postseason.
The LHSAA has history recently with kicking teams out of the playoffs for fighting-related incidents.
In the 2015 football playoffs, Amite was forced to forfeit a semifinals football game with St. James after the team fought with Bogalusa at the end of the two schools’ Quarterfinals game.
The LHSAA held a sportsmanship meeting on Tuesday in Baton Rouge to decide what to do with the Trojans’ situation.
LHSAA Assistant Executive Director Keith Alexander presided over the hearing, as well as three members of the LHSAA Executive Committee.
If allowed to play, the Trojans are easily one of the top teams in Class 5A.
According to Power Rankings projections issued on Monday morning, the Trojans were the No. 13 seed in Class 5A.
If they’re allowed to be a postseason team, they will likely host No. 20 Terrebonne in the opening round of postseason.
Central Lafourche post player David Robinson looks toward the basket during a game this season. The Central Lafourche Trojans are the subject of a sportsmanship hearing on Wednesday, which will determine the team’s fate for the 2016-17 postseason. The Trojans forfeited Friday’s game because of a fight.
