The Sumter Central High School boys basketball team, which finished the final Alabama Sports Writers Association prep basketball poll as the No. 4 ranked team in Class 5A, is no longer eligible to compete in the postseason.
The AHSAA released a statement Thursday afternoon stating Sumter Central has been fined and placed on probation for one year for exceeding the maximum number of contests allowed in the regular season. The school self-reported the violation.
According to the AHSAA bylaws, teams are allowed to play a maximum of 20 regular season contests, in addition to a maximum of three tournaments. All contests Sumter Central (with a reported record of 24-4) played and won after exceeding the maximum number allowed must be forfeited.
The AHSAA Restitution Rule requires a team to sit out the same number of ineligible contests in which they played, and due to the restitution, Sumter Central will not participate in the Class 5A, Area 7 tournament. Prior to the sanction, the Jaguars were the No. 1 seed and would have hosted the area tournament. As a result, the three-team area is down to two teams, and Central High will host Demopolis in the finals on Thursday.
The Pickens County boys basketball team was sanctioned for violation of the Academic Rule. The school self-reported and has been fined and placed on probation for one year.
Pickens County allowed a student to compete before he had met all eligibility requirements, and as a result, the Tornadoes must forfeit any games won in which the the student participated while ineligible. The Class 1A, Area 9 tournament bracket will reflect any forfeits that affect final area standings.
In accordance with the AHSAA Restitution Rule, once the student becomes eligible, the student must sit out the same number of contests in which he participated ineligibily.
Reach Joey Chandler at joey.chandler@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0223.