The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE much anticipated game three of the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association's senior boys basketball championship series was not played on Friday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

The game, which was scheduled to start around 5pm, was delayed a few times before it was finally called shortly after 6pm after the RM Bailey Pacers refused to play against the CI Gibson Rattlers.

RM Bailey's coach Lamont 'Red-Head' Armaly adamantly argued that they were not going to play CI Gibson, coached by Kevin 'KJ' Johnson, if the Rattlers' suspended players were allowed to play.

Stemming from game one on Tuesday, a fight broke out on the court and one player from each team was ejected. The Rattlers went on to win the game.

But before game two, a ruling was handed down from the Ministry of Education in consultation with the principal association that some additional players would be suspended for their involvement in the marlee.

Those players sat out the game as the Pacers rallied back to win to even the series at 1-1, forcing the third and deciding game on Friday.

That would have completed the GSSSA championship series after the junior boys and girls and senior girls were completed in two game sweeps on Thursday.

However, before game three of the senior boys' series, another ruling was handed down. It was alleged that permission was given for the CI Gibson players to be inserted back into their line-up, a decision that didn't sit well with RM Bailey, the top ranked team in the league. 

After lengthy discussions and a series of delays, the game was to begin, but this time, Armaly and his Pacers walked out of the gymnasium, leaving the Rattlers on the floor.

GSSSA president Vandyke Bethel declined to give any comments.

Having been awarded the game, but no awards presented as was done after the other three champions in the GSSSA were crowned on Thursday night, coach Johnson said he was highly disappointed that the Pacers took the stance that they did.

"My principal wrote an appeal because we have a right to appeal the decision to suspend my boys," coach Johnson said. "Only one player from RM Bailey was suspended.

"But if you saw the video, clearly those two boys didn't deserve to be suspended and they were talking about five games. It was ridiculous. At the end of the day, my principal made the appeal."

If they had not made the appeal and got a decision, Johnson said if his principal had advised him not to play his boys who were suspended, he would not have played them.

"I don't care who was mad or upset with the decision that was made," Johnson stated. "Win or lose, there's life after basketball and coaches make a decision for them."

However, Armaly said they pulled the team after he received a call from the principal of RM Bailey not to play the game because of a letter they received indicating that his player could not play.

"Why would I play my player if I got a letter stating that my player could not play," Armaly said. "We didn't start the fight. CI Gibson attacked my player.

"My player got suspended for his reaction and his reaction was to defy himself. Like I told him, since you defended yourself, you got suspended and the letter stated that you have to sit out three games."

Based on the letter he received, Armaly said it was noted that five players from CI Gibson were suspended. Only one player was involved in the fight. So why did the other four players get suspended? Their players got suspended because of their reaction."

Armaly, however, said CI Gibson played game two without the five suspended players and lost the game. But they decided to have the decision reversed and play their players.

"Myself, nor Kevin Johnson, was in the meeting when the decision was made," Armaly said. "My principal wasn't in that meeting. The executives from the GSSSA and the Ministry of Education made that decision after watching the video and they gave out the penalty.

"That had nothing to do with the school. The Ministry made the ruling. So why do you want to change it on the day that we are about to play? That is not fair."

As the new president of the GSSSA, taking over from Varel Davis, Armaly said Bethel and his executives made a ruling that no transferred players would be allowed to play during the season.

"That affected me because I only ended up with eight players who were eligible to play all season," Armaly said. "He told me they could not play. 

"I appealed it because I had players who came from private schools. Mr Bethel and the Ministry sent me a letter thanking me for the appeal, but indicated that my transfer players could not play. I followed the rules."

Once he got the directive from his principal, Armaly said he had no other choice but to take his team off the court and subsequently forfeit the game.