The Illinois High School Association has completed its investigation of State 2A Boys Basketball Champions Harrisburg High School and the runner up Seton Academy.
The IHSA criticized both schools for their lack of sportsmanship during the title game last month in Peoria. IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman says the players and coaches behavior was an ugly and embarrassing incident. Today, Hickman said Harrisburg High School, Seton Academy and the contest officials all share in the blame for the outcome. Hickman also says the IHSA needs to be more proactive in dealing with on-court behavior and conveying the expectations for appropriate conduct to the players, coaches and officials.
Hickman says Harrisburg coach Randy Smithpeters may have no involvement with the team or any other IHSA member school during postseason State Series basketball contests in 2013-14. Smithpeters does have the option of taking a Teaching and Modeling Behavior training program. If he successfully completes the course his prohibition will be lifted. However Smithpeters would remain on probation for the coming school year. Hickman says Coach Smithpeters crossed the line early in the game with his actions toward the game officials. He says Coach Smithpeters should have been issued a technical foul during the first half for his blatant violation of coach’s box rule. His behavior set a negative tone for the players and fans and contributed to a hostile environment that only grew worse during the first half.
Hickman says Seton Academy head basketball coach Brandon Thomas has been banned from having any post-season involvement with Seton or any other IHSA member school during the 2013-2014 season. Thomas will also be on probation for the upcoming school year. Hickman says Coach Thomas’ suspension comes as a result of incidents that occurred at halftime and in the post-game awards ceremony, when the coach bypassed offers of congratulations from the IHSA Board of Directors and the Governor of Illinois. He then threw his medal to an assistant coach and exited the court, where he engaged in a verbal altercation with a fan and had to be restrained from entering the stands by security and police.
Hickman says the championship game’s officials have also been reprimanded for failure to enforce the bench conduct rule during the championship game. He says game officials should have exhibited more control early in the contest. During the investigation, the IHSA was unable to corroborate allegations made by Seton Academy that members of the Harrisburg team used racial slurs during the championship game.
