Duncanville fans hurt, frustrated after UIL strips boys basketball team of championship title
DUNCANVILLE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Duncanville residents say they are hurt and frustrated by the UIL's decision to strip the boys basketball team of its 6A state championship title. It was one of several punishments the UIL slapped Duncanville athletics with on Monday.
Whether home or away, Cliff Boyd is always on the sidelines of Duncanville High School boys basketball games.
"It's one of the things that's really attracted me is how, with one high school, our community really revolves around our sports," Boyd, the former mayor of Duncanville said.
Now, he said, it's rallying against the UIL, which governs all public school athletics in Texas.
The controversy centered around Anthony Black, one of the nation's top high school players at the time, who transferred to Duncanville from Coppell and is now playing at Arkansas.
The UIL maintains the move was for athletic purposes. He and his family spoke to CBS 11 in January.
"I remember thinking this isn't how it's supposed to be. He's done nothing wrong. Our family's done nothing wrong," Jennifer Black said.
The UIL first ruled him ineligible last year, but a court order seemingly nullified that decision. Black went on to lead
Duncanville to the 6A state championship in March – a win that will now be erased from the record books.
"I'm very frustrated. This is not the first time that that we've been impacted in our community by this group of people. and it's just too common a thread," said Boyd.
Monday, the UIL also suspended head coach David Peavy for a year, put the program on a three-year probation, and suspended the girls head coach for a year for allegedly violating a recruiting rule.
In a statement, Duncanville ISD Superintendent Dr. Marc Smith said, "These are significant and unprecedented consequences for both programs, and students will suffer the most from today's decisions."