Narbonne Loses a Second Title Over Ineligibility

As expected, the California Interscholastic Federation on Tuesday stripped the Harbor City Narbonne High girls’ basketball team of its state Division I championship for using ineligible players.

The ruling was anticipated after Narbonne had been stripped of its City 4-A championship by the City Section on April 17 then lost appeals at the city and state levels.

Jack Hayes, executive director of the CIF, said the Division I championship officially will be listed as vacant, the first time in the 84-year history of the CIF that a state championship has been vacated. Narbonne also has been asked to relinquish all awards given at the regional and state basketball championships. Narbonne defeated defending champion Berkeley for the state title in Sacramento in March. The City 4-A championship that Narbonne won by defeating Palisades will also be listed as vacant.

The CIF also upheld all of the sanctions imposed against Narbonne’s program by the City Section after the section’s rules committee investigated allegations of recruiting and falsification of addresses.

Narbonne is ineligible for the girls’ basketball playoffs during the upcoming season and will be on probation in 1999-2000.

Three players also are suspended for one year because of residence issues. Portia Mitchell, a senior, and her sister, Raimi Mitchell, a junior, are suspended retroactive to March 2. The Mitchells transferred to Narbonne from North Torrance.

Syreeta Stafford, a junior, is suspended retroactive to Feb. 20. Stafford transferred to Narbonne from Washington High.

James Anderson, Narbonne’s coach, said he was not surprised by the CIF’s ruling.

“We pretty much knew this was going to happen based on the way things went with the City Section,” Anderson said. “The girls have been playing ball all summer, so it’s just something we have to bite the bullet on and move on.”