Monroe Coaches Cry Foul

Sophomore Latricia Fleming didn’t start a game last season for the Monroe High girls’ basketball team but she is at the center of a recruiting controversy involving coaches from two area high schools.

According to Monroe Coach Bryant Ching, Campbell Hall Coach Fonda Wilson spoke several times to Fleming and sophomore guard Shakaria Jones about transferring to Campbell Hall at last week’s Cal State Northridge team camp.

State rules prohibit recruiting and “undue influence” upon a student to enroll in a certain school.

Fleming, 5 feet 11, who led the Vikings last season with averages of 14 points and 14 rebounds, is “the best center ever to be at Monroe,” said Ching, entering his eighth season at the school.

Wilson, 30, in her first season at Campbell Hall, denies the allegations.

“It was a team camp at Northridge and they didn’t have a coach, so I was helping them out,” Wilson said. “I didn’t recruit anyone.”

Shalonda Houston, an assistant at Monroe, said she witnessed a conversation outside the Northridge gymnasium between Wilson and several Monroe players.

Among other things, Houston said she overheard Wilson say, “You can come to Campbell Hall,” and “My doors are open to everyone on the [Monroe] team.”

Ching said he saw the incident from 50 feet away.

“I was so shocked, I didn’t know what to do,” Ching said.

The following day, Ching said he approached Wilson regarding the the situation, but Wilson “made a joke out of it.”

Hours later, Ching said Wilson spoke again to Fleming about coming to Campbell Hall.

Ching said he alerted Monroe Principal Joan Elam, who in turn contacted the principal at Campbell Hall, Theresia Cunningham.

Cunningham confirmed that she spoke to Elam last week, but hasn’t investigated yet.

“I am still doing my own research, so I can’t really say anything at this point,” Cunningham said.

“I am trying to find out what happened from our coach’s perspective.”