Several boys basketball coaches have been suspended for violating Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association rules through participation in a summer tournament, it was revealed at the DIAA’s monthly board of directors meeting Dec. 11 in Dover.
The Battle of the Border tournament was held Aug. 23 and 24, a Saturday and Sunday, at the Nothing But Net Sports Academy off Newport Gap Pike between Hockessin and Wilmington. Saint Mark’s coach Lonnie Wright is CEO, owner and founder of NBN Sports Academy, according to its website.
The event involved numerous high school teams from several states, according to the schedule. That included Delaware schools Aspira, Brandywine, Christiana, Concord, Conrad, Delaware Military Academy, Glasgow, Howard, Middletown, Odyssey Charter, Saint Georges, Saint Mark’s, Seaford and William Penn.
Basketball players regularly take part in summer competition. But they are not allowed to do so on school-sanctioned teams guided by their high school coaches. The event was not sanctioned by the DIAA, which is required for any high school team to take part.
It also took place during what DIAA rules term a “dead period,” a seven-day stretch before the start of a high school sports season in which no instructional contact may occur between coaches and players in any sport.
The coach at a high school that did not take part alerted the DIAA in October about the August event, suggesting it violated organizational rules. DIAA officials then looked into it and agreed.
Joe Papili, the DIAA’s compliance coordinator, explained to the board that athletic directors and other leaders at schools that took part were given the opportunity to investigate the matter and impose discipline depending on the degree of guilt.
Several head and assistant coaches have already served or continue to fulfill suspensions of one or several games, as the high school season began Dec. 5.
St. Georges coach Rod Griffin received a four-game suspension, Christiana coach Carmon Henry Jr. earned a three-game penalty and Odyssey Charter’s Rodney Burruss had to miss two games. Those three and coaches at Aspira, Delaware Military Academy, Glasgow and Howard received DIAA-imposed one-year probations
Wright and Saint Mark’s have appealed his suspension, the details of which were not revealed, and that will be heard at the DIAA board’s January meeting.
There were also letters of reprimand, directives to apply with DIAA regulations and suggested training programs to familiarize with DIAA rules.
Some schools did not incur penalties because coaches were not involved. Those included Brandywine, Conrad, Middletown, Seaford and William Penn.
Archmere volleyball coach, football program penalized
Archmere girls volleyball coach Jerry McCarthy was reprimanded for his behavior toward officials and what Papilli termed “derogatory comments” about them after the Auks’ 27-25, 25-15, 27-25 loss to Tower Hill in the recent state tournament semifinals. He received a post-game red-card ejection.
McCarthy has been suspended for the Auks’ first match next season, was required to complete an NFHS sportsmanship course and familiarize himself with DIAA sportsmanship regulations, apologize to Tower Hill’s coach and discuss his actions with his team.
Also, the football program violated DIAA undue influence regulations for holding a Nov. 1 event for prospective football players.
It was billed as a “Football Experience Day,” Papilli said, in which students had campus tours, watched a football game from the sidelines and met with football and admissions personnel.
Archmere was fined $1,000, put on one-year probation and letters of reprimand were given to coach John Bellace, athletic director Nick Sanna and head of school Michael Marinelli, with Bellace and Sanna also earning one-year probation.
Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Basketball coaches suspended for teams’ summer tournament involvement
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