Emergency motion granted to allow Maori Davenport to play tonight

Published 11:49 am Friday, January 11, 2019

CHHS standout Maori Davenport will take the court tonight for the first time since she was ruled ineligible by the Alabama High School Athletic Association earlier this season.

Circuit Court Judge Sonny Reagan granted an emergency motion filed by Mario and Tara Davenport, Maori Davenport’s parents, asking that the court review the facts surrounding their daughter’s case and restrain the AHSAA from stripping the star student athlete of her eligibility.

As a result, Maori Davenport is eligible to play pending a hearing before the Judge. She will take the court when the Charles Henderson Lady Trojans play Ozark’s Carroll High School tonight. This will be the first time the gold medalist has been able to play in an AHSAA sanctioned game since the organization ruled her ineligible in November.

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Davenport was ruled ineligible by the AHSAA after it was reported that she accepted an $857.20 check from USA Basketball for her participation with the under-18 team over the summer in Mexico City.

The case has gained statewide and national attention and legislators yesterday passed a resolution urging the AHSAA to reinstate her immediately. They also began drafting legislation to give the legislature oversight of the association.