University City’s Price Reinstated Until at Least March 1

University City’s top basketball player, Jerome Price, will be allowed to return to the team after a temporary restraining order was granted against the California Interscholastic Federation Tuesday in a San Diego Superior Court hearing.

Price was declared ineligible by Kendall Webb, San Diego Section commissioner, following Price’s participation in the Gus Macker three-on-three tournament Jan. 28-29, which Webb said was a violation of CIF rules. A hearing has been scheduled for March 1 by Judge William C. Pate to determine if an injunction should be issued to permanently reinstate Price on the team.

Webb said the decision disappointed him because he thinks it will open possibilities for lawsuits against the CIF for the purpose of challenging rules. The court proceedings will cost the CIF approximately $2,500, Webb said.

“The judge turned to an issue other than the violation of the rule on which to base his decision,” Webb said. “He brought up the possibility of infringement of constitutional rights of an individual.”

Webb said there will be no penalty levied against the University City basketball team for games in which Price plays between now and March 1, regardless of the outcome of the next hearing. Playoffs start Feb. 21.

Webb also said he was surprised by Tuesday’s decision in light of a conversation he had with Pate on Friday.

“He acknowledged that there was no question the violation had occurred,” Webb said.

Price’s attorney, Tim MacNeil, said Pate questioned the clarity of CIF Rule 600, which states that a high school player becomes ineligible if he participates on “outside” team in the same sport during that season.

“He said the more he thinks about it, the more he thinks the rule doesn’t make sense the way it is written,” MacNeil said.

Price said MacNeil told him last week he had a good chance to win, but he wasn’t sure what to expect.

“I didn’t have my hopes up,” he said. “It feels good to be back with the team again.”

Tom Medigovich, University City coach, said the decision may prompt other schools to take action against the CIF for other disqualifications that were made after the Gus Macker tournament. Also declared ineligible were two St. Augustine varsity players, a USDHS varsity player and two USDHS junior varsity players.

Patrick Murphy, the USDHS coach, said he would contact Webb this morning to inquire about the status of varsity player Adam Smith, but Webb said: “It won’t affect the other students because it was not a class-action suit. This is only a temporary restraining order, not a decision. So the students are still in violation of Rule 600. I don’t have the authority to wave (the ineligibility decision) for the others.”

Rick Eveleth, coach of La Jolla, which will play University City today, expressed concern over the effect the decision could have on high school athletics.

“What we’re telling the youth of America is ‘Hey, you can screw up, and we’ll take it to court, and some bleeding heart judge will side with you,’ ” Eveleth said.