Basic removed from 5A baseball playoffs, parents ‘outraged’ by decision

Defending Class 5A high school baseball state champion Basic has been removed from the Southern Region playoff tournament, according to the playoff bracket on the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association website.

Neither the NIAA, CCSD nor Basic school officials returned requests for comment on the reason for Basic’s removal.

Basic (18-8, 10-0 5A Desert League) had its name in the NIAA bracket removed as the Desert League’s No. 1 seed with “vacant” written in its place. The Wolves had been scheduled to play Faith Lutheran at 4 p.m. Thursday in a Southern Region winners bracket second-round contest.

The Review-Journal was sent a statement from Ashley Sisolak, the legal counsel for the players and parents.

“The players and families of the Basic Academy varsity baseball team are outraged by the unjust decision to disqualify the team from state playoffs on the very day of competition begins,” the statement read.

“This action was taken without notice, without any opportunity to respond, and without a fair investigation. It punishes an entire team of student athletes — kids who did nothing wrong — for an alleged issue involving a single player. This is fundamentally unfair.

“We respect the role of the NIAA and CCSD but fairness and due process are not optional. When decisions carry consequences this severe, they must be made carefully and transparently — not rushed at the last minute.

“We are calling for an immediate pause of the playoffs to allow for a proper, fair review. These athletes earned their place on the field. They deserve the chance to complete — and to be treated justly. It is the failure of the adults in the situation that have caused this injustice.”

It’s the second time in three years Basic has missed the playoffs due to reasons unrelated to on-field performance. In 2024, the Wolves had to forfeit an unspecified amount of league games in the final week of the regular season did not qualify for the playoffs.

On the bracket, Faith Lutheran has advanced to a Saturday contest against Centennial.

In the losers bracket, Coronado, which had been scheduled to play the loser of Faith Lutheran-Basic, advances to a Saturday elimination game.