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IHSA Announces Sanctions For Seton Academy, Harrisburg High School

(CBS) After an investigation into the Class 2A boys basketball state championship game between Harrisburg High School and Seton Academy, the IHSA has announced severe sanctions for both team's head coaches.

After his team's loss, Seton Academy head basketball coach Brandon Thomas refused to accept the second-place trophy. Before he left the court, Thomas also got into a verbal confrontation with a fan. The Harrisburg sanctions come as a result of the actions by head coach Randy Smithpeters, especially those during the first half of the contest.

The sanctions are as follows:

Harrisburg High School Sanctions 

  • Harrisburg High School head basketball coach Randy Smithpeters may have no involvement (team  contact, coaching, attending games) with Harrisburg or any other IHSA member school during postseason State Series basketball contests (Regionals, Sectionals, Super-Sectionals, State Finals) in 2013-14, unless he first successfully completes the NFHS Teaching and Modeling Behavior training program.
  • Coach Smithpeters has been placed on probation for the 2013-14 school year.

Seton Academy Sanctions

  • In addition to the sanctions implemented by the school, Seton Academy head basketball coach Brandon Thomas may have no involvement (team contact, coaching, attending games) at Seton Academy or any other IHSA member school during postseason State Series basketball contests (Regionals, Sectionals, Super-Sectionals, State Finals) in 2013-14 and 2
  • Coach Thomas has been placed on probation for the 2013-14 school year.

"This was an ugly and embarrassing incident," said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. "Harrisburg High School, Seton Academy and the contest officials all share in the blame for the outcome. We also recognize that the IHSA needs to be more proactive in dealing with on-court behavior and conveying the expectations for appropriate conduct to the players, coaches and officials participating in our events."

The contest officials have been reprimanded for failure to enforce the bench conduct rule during the championship game.

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