Ruling returns Western to basketball playoffs
Western's boys basketball team will get a chance to compete for a state title after all.
The Warriors, who forfeited four games because of the use of an ineligible player, are in the Sunset Region tournament -- when it officially starts today.
Independent hearing agent Pat Dolan overturned two of the Warriors' four forfeits in a decision Friday morning, not only allowing the Warriors back into the Sunset playoffs but giving Western a home quarterfinal game.
"We have numerous hearings, and we always support the decision of the hearing officer," Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association executive director Eddie Bonine said. "In this particular case, with forfeits involved, nobody wins. We accept the decision as final and binding."
As a result of the decision, Durango and Spring Valley were forced to meet in a play-in game Friday night, which Spring Valley won to claim the Southwest League's final seed. Durango, which was the Southwest's No. 3 seed before Friday's decision, saw its season end.
Western will host Northwest League No. 3 seed Cimarron-Memorial at 6:30 p.m. today.
"I just think the arbiter was trying to do right by the kids," Spring Valley coach Phil McAlister said Friday afternoon. "It gives everybody the opportunity to get into the playoffs. We're not out. We just rally up and play tonight."
Dolan overturned the Warriors' forfeits from games against Durango on Jan. 19 and Bonanza on Jan. 30.
In the decision section of a 29-page document on the appeal, Dolan wrote that "Western has established by a preponderance of the substantial, reliable and probative evidence that it would have won the games with Bonanza High School and Durango High School without the participation of (the ineligible player)."
The decision moved Western from 9-7 in the Southwest to 11-5 and pulled the Warriors into a tie with Desert Oasis for second place in the league.
Western swept the Diamondbacks during league play and won the tiebreaker. Desert Oasis, the league's No. 2 seed before Dolan's decision, was dropped to the No. 3 seed and will visit Cheyenne in a quarterfinal game.
Because it had its forfeit victory overturned, Durango moved from 11-5 to 10-6 and into a tie for fourth place with Spring Valley.
The teams split their head-to-head matchups in league play. The NIAA's next tiebreaker is wins by defeated opponents. That also came out even.
Generally, the third tiebreaker in two-team ties favors the team that won the second meeting, but that can't be used to eliminate a team from the postseason. Instead, a play-in game is needed.
"You prepare all year long to go play your game," McAllister said. "We're so familiar with Durango. We see each other during the summer and in season."
The Sunset quarterfinals have been rescheduled for 6:30 p.m. today at Bishop Gorman, Western, Palo Verde and Cheyenne.
The semifinals are scheduled for 4:40 and 6:30 p.m. Monday at Palo Verde, and the championship will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, also at Palo Verde.
The Sunset champion will have to play games today, Monday and Tuesday, travel to Reno on Wednesday and play in a state semifinal on Thursday. The state championship game is scheduled for Friday.
On Feb. 5, Western self-reported that it had used an ineligible player in two games against Pahrump Valley and the games against Durango and Bonanza.
Western was an 83-75 winner against Durango and a 65-49 winner against Bonanza. The Warriors beat Pahrump Valley 69-50 on Jan. 8 and 71-49 on Feb. 2.
The Warriors appealed the forfeits to Bonine, claiming fifth-year senior Ravon Robinson's appearance in those four games did not contribute to the team's victories. Bonine denied the appeal Feb. 10.
Two days later, Western senior Kristopher Coleman filed for an injunction and a temporary restraining order in district court to get the forfeits overturned, but judge Stefany Miley dismissed the case on Tuesday, saying Coleman didn't have standing to file the suit.
After the court case was dismissed, Western filed a second-level appeal with the NIAA, asking for an independent hearing officer to decide the matter. Representatives from the NIAA, Western, Pahrump, Durango and Bonanza presented their cases to Dolan in a conference call Thursday before he issued a ruling Friday morning.
The Review-Journal's request to speak with Western principal Neddy Alvarez on Friday was declined. Western coach Chip Nelson did not return calls seeking comment.
Contact reporter Bartt Davis at bdavis@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5230.
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SPRING VALLEY BOYS WIN PLAY-IN GAME
Justin Omogun had 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead Spring Valley to a 79-67 win over Durango at Sierra Vista on Friday in a play-in game to earn the final berth in the Sunset Region tournament.
The win sets up a Sunset Region quarterfinal matchup against Northwest League champion Palo Verde at 6:30 p.m. today.
"It's a new season, and this was a big win for us tonight," Spring Valley coach Phil McAlister said. "We had expected to play Palo Verde earlier in the week, but the situation came up. Obviously we scouted them, and we have been preparing for them in practice.
"We're just ready to come out, try to take it to them and try to continue this new winning streak."
Corey Clement added 19 points for the Grizzlies, who made 23 of 30 free throws. The 6-foot-7-inch Omogun and the 6-4 Clement combined to block 13 shots.
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