Judge’s order delays NJSIAA hearing on Camden High basketball
Camden has been under investigation after an NJ.com report that the team was put together with star players who did not live in the district.
Monday’s hearing that could have had consequences for Camden High School’s boys’ basketball team was delayed at least two weeks after a judge issued a temporary restraining order on Friday regarding Camden’s appearance before the NJSIAA’s controversy committee.
Camden County Superior Court Judge Steven J. Polansky issued the order in response to a school district petition for a ruling on what level of access to students’ records the NJSIAA, which oversees high school athletics in New Jersey, can have.
In the summer, the NJSIAA began an investigation into how Camden, which won the state’s Group 2 championship last season, assembled its roster.
The investigation followed a June report by NJ.com that alleged the Panthers used a loophole to build their public-school team with star players who did not live in the district.
Last year, Rick Brunson, the former Temple standout and NBA player, coached the Panthers, who finished 31-3, including a 41-point victory in the state final.
Brunson joined the New York Knicks as an assistant coach in June. This season’s squad is coached by former Roman Catholic and Villanova star Maalik Wayns and is headlined by senior guard DJ Wagner, a third-generation Camden star.
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According to NJ.com, Camden’s championship squad last year included players from six towns and five counties. It is unclear how many other teams in the state, if any, also had players from various towns and counties.
The report also alleged that non-residents were “funneled through a Nike-sponsored travel team and enrolled in two magnet schools — Big Picture Learning Academy and Creative Arts Academy.”
According to NJ.com, the NJSIAA is prepared to strip the Panthers of last year’s title and also could ban the team from postseason play this season. Last year’s title was the 12th in school history but the first in 22 years.
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This season the Panthers are 8-1 and 3-0 in league play. In addition to Wagner, Camden is led by senior forward Aaron Bradshaw, who will play with Wagner at Kentucky. The Wildcats are coached by John Calipari, who coached Wagner’s father, Dajuan, at Memphis.
In 2001, Dajuan famously scored 100 points in a game during his senior year at Camden. Dajuan’s father, Milt, also starred as a Panther before leading Louisville and playing in the NBA.