Taholah Pays Price For Ineligible Player

Class B eighth-ranked Taholah used an ineligible player during part of its Pacific League boys basketball season and must forfeit at least four wins and its league title, a District 4 committee ruled last week.

Victor James received a fifth year of eligibility last September by claiming he hadn’t participated in prep sports as a freshman. Pacific League rival North Beach recently uncovered news clippings that proved James had competed during his second semester as a freshman. James is ineligible the rest of the basketball season.

Taholah (15-3 before forfeits) had won 14 consecutive games. The team will drop from a No. 1 district seed to, at best, No. 4.

The Chitwins won the State B-8 football title by defeating Colton. James played in the game, but Taholah’s title doesn’t appear to be in jeopardy because James didn’t play football as a freshman.

, DataTimes MEMO: Cut in the Spokane edition