Players, parents overjoyed as suburban Chicago school board rules basketball coach can stay on

HINSDALE, Ill. (CBS) -- A basketball showdown transpired Tuesday night in Chicago's western suburbs – not in the form of a game, but over a popular high school coach's future.

The showdown ended in cheers and applause when the school board decided the coach could stay on.

Team members and parents showed up to the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 board meeting to support their coach at Hinsdale South High School in Darien – where the basketball team was supposed to be playing a game Tuesday night. Instead, they forfeited and packed the school board meeting.

The game plan was simple – save their head coach, Michael Belcaster. He was placed on administrative leave last weekend, according to his wife.

"He was absolutely crushed, and came to tears," said the coach's wife, Alicia Belcaster.

Players, parents, and even Coach Belcaster's father were present for the board meeting Tuesday night in Hinsdale. They showed up to send the school board a message and rally behind their coach.

"Taking away our coach in the middle of the season benefits no one," said Hinsdale South basketball player Olasupo Akande. "It only hurts us as a team."

"Michael Belcaster has done things the right way," said parent Mike Weigus.

"Michael Belcaster is not just a great coach, but he's a great man," said parent Michael Ockrim.

Earlier this year, Belcaster, the school board, and the district were all named in a lawsuit filed by the parents of a player who had been cut from the team.

The lawsuit claims the student was cut in retaliation for the family raising concerns about the previous coach.

"When the lies came forward about Mike's intentions for cutting a player, it shattered him. It' is completely untrue, and is in no way something Mike would ever do," said Alicia Belcaster. "His name has been dragged all over the place. He has kept quiet from the start as he was instructed to."

"They just want to play," said Ockrim. "They don't want to get caught up in all this adult stuff."

After about an hour of deliberation, the Hinsdale School Board decided not to take any action – and ordered that Coach Belcaster will resume his regular duties.

Upon the announcement that Belcaster will be back on the court as coach, the whole room erupted in cheers.

"Super happy especially for my coach," said Hinsdale South player Ayden Farrare Jr. "This means the world to me right now."