Miami's Krop High Takes District Playoffs
MIAMI (CBS4) - A Miami high school basketball team which almost didn't make the district playoffs due to an immigration issue with one of its players has been declared champions.
On Saturday, Dr. Michael Krop Senior High's Lightning beat Hialeah-Miami Lakes High in the Miami Athletic Conference to win the playoffS, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
The state's number one team in the Class 6A division was originally knocked out of playoff contention after the Florida High School Athletic Association declared senior guard, 19-year old Bryan Delancy, ineligible.
The FHSAA said Delancy, a native of the Bahamas attending school in the states, failed to file the proper paperwork with their office to allow him to play. Delancy had filled out the necessary paperwork to play at Miami Choice Academy last year but when he transferred to Krop this year, the team's coach, Marcos "Shakey" Rodriguez, said he was unaware that any paperwork needed to be filed.
In the FHSAA ruling, Delancy's ineligibity forced the team to forfeit the 19 games he played in this season which would not make them eligible for the district playoffs. Delancy and two of his team mates sued the FHSAA and last Wednesday Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Spencer Eig granted the team a temporary injunction which allowed them to compete.
The FHSAA says they plan to appeal Eig's decision. If they prevail, the team would have to forfeit any wins, including the playoffs, in which Delancy participated. It would also knock them out of contention for the state championship.
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