Every Troy and Alabama resident should be utterly disgusted on the way Maori Davenport is being treated by The Alabama High School Athletic Association

because of a mistake made by USA Basketball in sending her a check over the

acceptable payment for playing in the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship and

representing the United States of America and the State of Alabama , along with the City of Troy in a positive manner as well as helping Team USA win that tournament.

When USA Basketball realized its mistake in November, it notified school and Alabama officials. Davenport repaid the money. But the AHSAA showing absolute pettiness took away Maori’s eligibility to play on her High School team, even though the same mistake happened to a player from Illinois and that State’s HS Association deemed it an honest mistake and allowed the girl to play for her High School team after she repaid what the USA Basketball organization sent her by mistake thinking it was allowable to do so.

The way Steve Savarese is the executive director of the Alabama High School Athletic Association is explaining the action taken against Davenport borders on punishing her for the mistake the Adults involved done

“The lesson to be learned here is for the adults that have the responsibility to inform the student-athlete of the rules,” Savarese said. “It is the responsibility of other parties, school officials, USA Basketball who only had to make a phone call, and her mom who is an assistant coach. She should know better.”

He went on to say “My charge is to uphold the rules. What if I said ‘no’? What if I let her play? If I make an exception to one rule, it opens up a Pandora’s box on all of our rules. How could I enforce any rule? If I made an exception here, I would be arbitrary and capricious.”

For those who feel this is an injustice against a teenager who only wants to play basketball for her High School team, please contact your elected officials and have them get involved in overturning a decision by the Alabama High School Athletic Association that goes against common sense and fair play.

I thank all for considering the action I am preposing, wether you do it or not.

Jim Moran

Glendale, Arizona