Basic baseball coach ‘blindsided’ by team’s removal from playoffs

Defending Class 5A baseball state champion Basic High School was removed from the Southern Region playoffs for playing an ineligible player, according to a statement from principal Tati Hadavi sent to the Review-Journal on Friday.

Basic baseball coach Gino DiMaria added in an interview with the Review-Journal Friday that the situation stems from the eligibility of a player because of grades and claims that he, his staff and Basic administration were not aware of any concerns about the player’s eligibility.

“We were 100 percent blindsided by this. … We had no idea,” DiMaria said. “We were told, the parents were told, Basic Academy was told he was passing. Then, all of a sudden, the day of the game, we were told he’s ineligible.

”Not one time did anybody say he was ineligible.”

The statement from Hadavi obtained via CCSD communications reads: “(Thursday), we were informed that the Varsity Baseball team has to forfeit its previous games after a student was determined to be ineligible and had participated throughout the season. The ruling came after CCSD shared newly discovered information with the Nevada Interscholastic Athletics Association (NIAA) in the spirit of fair play and integrity.

“Due to the late discovery, this afternoon’s playoff game of the season has been canceled. While the outcome is disappointing, we must uphold the rules and respect the decision.”

Basic was scheduled to play Faith Lutheran in a winners’ bracket second round game Thursday at Basic. Instead, on Thursday afternoon, the NIAA removed Basic (18-8, 10-0 5A Desert League) from the 5A Southern Region playoff bracket.

DiMaria said he and his staff were told Thursday morning that the player has been ineligible, they had to forfeit all of their games and were being taken out of the playoffs.

“I’m not pointing a finger at anybody … we (coaches, administrators, parents, players) did everything we were supposed to do,” DiMaria said. “We were told that everything is fine and then all of a sudden, it just seems strange that the day of the playoff game that it comes out.”

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association has not returned request for comment on the situation.

Basic’s spot on the bracket as the Desert League’s No. 1 seed was replaced with “vacant.” Faith Lutheran has advanced to Saturday’s winners bracket contest against Centennial. The spot in the losers bracket for the loser of Basic-Faith Lutheran was filled with “vacant” and Coronado has advanced to a Saturday elimination game.

“I’ve always been brought up to do things the right way, follow the rules, make sure everything — run a clean program,” DiMaria said. “I take pride that I run a clean program. So when everything was told to me yesterday, it was just a shocking and confusing moment. What just happened?”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.