Div I prospect @ Yates ruled ineligible this season

[HoopInsider_Cooper]

The University Interscholastic League's state executive committee on Tuesday denied an appeal by Yates forward Maurice Letcher-Ellis and ruled that the junior changed schools for athletic purposes, making him ineligible for varsity play for the upcoming boys basketball season.

Letcher-Ellis, who spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at Cypress Springs, enrolled at Yates for the 2010-11 school year after he and his family moved into the Yates attendance zone over the summer. Cypress Springs coach John Harmatuk indicated on Letcher-Ellis' Previous Athletic Participation Form — a required document for any student-athlete who changes schools — that he believed that Letcher-Ellis changed schools for athletic purposes.

The District 21-4A Executive Committee ruled on Sept. 30 that Letcher-Ellis did change schools for athletic reasons and the family appealed the decision, which was denied by a unanimous 3-0 vote on Tuesday by the UIL's SEC after hearing testimony from Harmatuk, Yates coach Greg Wise, Houston ISD assistant athletic director and 21-4A DEC chairman Dave Hudek and Johnessa Letcher, Maurice's mother.

Student-athletes who change schools for athletic reasons are ineligible to play varsity athletics for one year. Letcher-Ellis, a 6-8 forward who is a Division I prospect and has offers from Arkansas-Little Rock, Detroit and Wichita State, will play on Yates' junior varsity team this season and join the varsity in 2011-12.

Yates is coming off its second consecutive Class 4A state championship. The Lions have won 58 consecutive games dating back to the 2008-09 season and finished 2009-10 as the nation's No. 1 ranked team by five national high school polls. The Lions open their season on Nov. 5 against Dickinson at Delmar Fieldhouse.

[DP#1FAN]

What a surprise. I saw this coming last year. Program is under a microscope.

[AggiesAreWe]

Expect others in the future to be caught as well.  ;)

Some coaches are getting tired of getting their cupboards robbed and they are going to do something about it.

This is just the start I am afraid with the Houston inner city schools.

[BADSANTA]

Houston Schools have done this for years!

[sleepy]

For all of those idiots that said that Yates did not recruit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Here ya go!

[BLUEDOVE3]

[quote name="BADSANTA" post="888528" timestamp="1288147287"]
Houston Schools have done this for years!
[/quote]Yep!

[snooker]

is it recruiting if the kid wants to go there - and his parents want him to go there AND they buy a house in the zone? thats not recruiting , thats a kid who wants to play in a good program. UIL needs to get a clue. Its always about the athletics, dont even know why they ask on the paperwork. they just need to keep collecting their paychecks in their ivory tower.

[BLUEDOVE3]

[quote name="snooker" post="888708" timestamp="1288187578"]
is it recruiting if the kid wants to go there - and his parents want him to go there AND they buy a house in the zone? thats not recruiting , thats a kid who wants to play in a good program. UIL needs to get a clue. Its always about the athletics, dont even know why they ask on the paperwork. they just need to keep collecting their paychecks in their ivory tower.
[/quote] I think the problem comes in when the h.s. coach talks to a kid about playing for him. But I do agree with your points.

[True Blue]

I agree that it is wrong for a coach to talk a kid into moving to play for him, But I see nothing wrong with a kid wonting to play for a better club, if it helps him get into a collage. We ,as parents send them to camps, AAU games, and private lessons. Why should we not be allowed to send them to the best clubs to help them get farther in life.JMO

[Trojanfan]

Big Mo is not the first kid to move into Yates  school district just to play for Wise, Trey Bennett moved there from Milby and Shai Fields Pearland,Luthern North,and who knows where else he was before that to come play at Yates this year. I think they try to use their "magnet school" statis to cheat a little, but it sure was pretty suspicious that Big Mo played his summer league ball for the Houston Select, and I wonder who the coach of the select was? it was COACH WISE   

[BLUEDOVE3]

[quote name="Trojanfan" post="890045" timestamp="1288328342"]
Big Mo is not the first kid to move into Yates  school district just to play for Wise, Trey Bennett moved there from Milby and Shai Fields Pearland,Luthern North,and who knows where else he was before that to come play at Yates this year. I think they try to use their "magnet school" statis to cheat a little, but it sure was pretty suspicious that Big Mo played his summer league ball for the Houston Select, and I wonder who the coach of the select was? it was COACH WISE   
[/quote]I'm sure there is a snowball effect happening with Yates' current players and their parents who are zoned to Yates.. People can get ruthless their kid's playing time is being taken away.

[dayton]

[quote name="snooker" post="888708" timestamp="1288187578"]
is it recruiting [b]if the kid wants to go there - and his parents want him to go there AND they buy a house in the zone? thats not recruiting , thats a kid who wants to play in a good program. [/b] UIL needs to get a clue. Its always about the athletics, dont even know why they ask on the paperwork. they just need to keep collecting their paychecks in their ivory tower.
[/quote]
UIL didn't say "recruit"... they said "moving for athletic purposes".. what's in bold is the definition of that.

I agree though... how can they really say much when the parents have actually bought a home, etc. This could be done to several sports all across the state. Yates is paying the price due to their high profile status.

[Guest speechless]

they can say something when, even though the parents move, their jobs remain in the same place....that's a red flag

it's about a lot more than just living in an attendance zone

and there is something wrong with wanting to move your kid to another school just because the team/coach may not be what you want

do we not see the lesson we teach our kids in that..."hey if it's not going your way or you don't like just move....just run away"

don't give me that crap about playing for a better program for exposure.....if a kid can play a kid can play and the colleges will find him

[dayton]

[quote name="speechless" post="890193" timestamp="1288365786"]
they can say something when, even though the parents move, their jobs remain in the same place....that's a red flag

it's about a lot more than just living in an attendance zone

and there is something wrong with wanting to move your kid to another school just because the team/coach may not be what you want

do we not see the lesson we teach our kids in that..."hey if it's not going your way or you don't like just move....just run away"

don't give me that crap about playing for a better program for exposure.....[b]if a kid can play a kid can play and the colleges will find him[/b][/quote]

agreee... I just think it's very hard to police/prove due to all the technicalities. I should've said that.

[BLUEDOVE3]

The good players really don't need high school ball. High school has become a play ground to keep in shape for the summer competition.

[Guest speechless]

[quote]The good players really don't need high school ball. High school has become a play ground to keep in shape for the summer competition.[/quote]

LOL!  thats where your wrong....the ncaa is working diligently to take recruiting out of the hands of aau wannabes and put it back in the hands of the men who have studied, trained, and earned degrees in this field and aren't out selling cars by day and pretending to be a coach by night.

[BLUEDOVE3]

[quote name="speechless" post="890243" timestamp="1288368578"]
[quote]The good players really don't need high school ball. High school has become a play ground to keep in shape for the summer competition.[/quote]

LOL!  thats where your wrong....the ncaa is working diligently to take recruiting out of the hands of aau wannabes and put it back in the hands of the men who have studied, trained, and earned degrees in this field and aren't out selling cars by day and pretending to be a coach by night.
[/quote]Sure, there is a new proposal out there to reign in the summer open events. Ain't happened yet. You don't hear too many college coaches crying about attending summer tournaments. Too much talent in one area of the building versus travelling to Port Arthur, Texas to see a  possible -potential- -maybe -good recruit.  The NCAA biggest concern riight now in regards to enforcement are the boosters, who are funneling monies through shyster AAU/summer basketball programs influencing kids to "look" at certain schools.  I repeat, most ogf your talented high school players don't need hs ball  ;)

[team first]

Wow Dove, you mean kids don't need coaching. They are that good? A kid will NEVER REACH HIS FULL POTENTIAL, if he isnt in a good h.s. program. Fact is , like speechless says, there is not a whole lot of coaching going on at the AAU level. Believe me, most of those guys are in it to enhance, yes, themselves. An AAU basketball practice? Love to see one! Yes kids develop through playing, but just like anything else, they will benefit greatly in a HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PROGRAM!!!!!!! SEEN IT!!!!!!!!!!

[BLUEDOVE3]

[quote name="team first" post="890289" timestamp="1288372907"]
Wow Dove, you mean kids don't need coaching. They are that good? A kid will NEVER REACH HIS FULL POTENTIAL, if he isnt in a good h.s. program. Fact is , like speechless says, there is not a whole lot of coaching going on at the AAU level. Believe me, most of those guys are in it to enhance, yes, themselves. An AAU basketball practice? Love to see one! Yes kids develop through playing, but just like anything else, they will benefit greatly in a HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PROGRAM!!!!!!! SEEN IT!!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]I never said a kid would not benefit in a high school program. I said the most talented kids don't really need hs ball to advance to the next level. Many are already under the radar. As far as coaching, there are a lot of very good AAU programs out there teaching and coaching the kids. In fact, there are a lot of former NBA pros and other pros working in grassroot basketball, teaching the game.

[Guest speechless]

okay...so you say "the most talented kids"....what % of college athletes are you talking about then?  "The most talented kids" make up a very small % of the college population.  Heck, John Wall didn't need Kentucky really....but the John Wall's of the world are few and far between.  Of course, I can see your reasoning....with the financial success rate of pro athletes after their careers why would any of them need good high school or college rearing?  Go ask any college coach if they believe the high school program is important to potential prospects....I GUARANTEE you they won't say it isn't.

[gamoty]

I have talked to several friends of mine who are college coaches about recruiting at AAU tournaments.  They hate it.  There are too many tournaments in the summer and they usually are not even evaluating anyway they are just showing face so that the kids can see that they actually care about them.  How many AAU games have you seen with helpside defense?

[BLUEDOVE3]

[quote name="gamoty" post="890319" timestamp="1288375478"]
I have talked to several friends of mine who are college coaches about recruiting at AAU tournaments.  They hate it.  There are too many tournaments in the summer and they usually are not even evaluating anyway they are just showing face so that the kids can see that they actually care about them.  How many AAU games have you seen with helpside defense?
[/quote]Ah, I love it! They probably do hate it. I agree with you. But thats my point. They better go and show their face. Not true sir, they are evaluating the kids. Some of these coaches have never seen the players until the summer months. Thats why you have so many players playing at schools many miles away from home. Look at UT's roster as one example. The summers allow coaches to cover more players now than back in the day.

[BLUEDOVE3]

[quote name="speechless" post="890314" timestamp="1288374934"]
okay...so you say "the most talented kids"....what % of college athletes are you talking about then?  "The most talented kids" make up a very small % of the college population.  Heck, John Wall didn't need Kentucky really....but the John Wall's of the world are few and far between.  Of course, I can see your reasoning....with the financial success rate of pro athletes after their careers why would any of them need good high school or college rearing?  Go ask any college coach if they believe the high school program is important to potential prospects....I GUARANTEE you they won't say it isn't.
[/quote]I don't like using someone like John Wall in this convo because he was programmed for the system. By that I mean players like him were 5th year seniors playing against younger guys. Shoot, 6 months age difference is a huge difference. Can you imagine being 18 months older...sheez!  Thats why Westbury Christian (5th year seniors) could not participate at YMBL. But thats my pet peeve and a whole different topic, which we have already strayed away from. But anyway, the top 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, or 100 could still get major attention just by attending or being invited to the major camps and playing in major summer tournaments. But hs offers another avenue to see how these players play in a more structured environment such as hs

[jabu84]

[quote name="BLUEDOVE3" post="890216" timestamp="1288366740"]
The good players really don't need high school ball. High school has become a play ground to keep in shape for the summer competition.
[/quote]
True

[shorttexas1]

Thought you Yates haters would love to see this one!!!

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/hso/7264752.html