Eligibility of current Arkansas freshman Anthony Black at the center of controversy.
In a Monday morning stunner in the world of high school basketball, Texas powerhouse and defending MaxPreps National Champion Duncanville has been stripped of its 2022 Class 6A state title and head coach David Peavy has been given a one-year suspension according to multiple media outlets, including the
Dallas Morning News and
Houston Chronicle.
The punishment centers on the eligibility of current University of Arkansas freshman Anthony Black, who was initially ruled ineligible by the UIL but eventually was cleared to play after a series of appeals and legal rulings.
Thanks in part to Black, who was the MVP of the state championship game, Duncanville went 35-1 during the 2021-22 season en route to finishing No. 1 in the MaxPreps Top 25. The Panthers won their third consecutive Class 6A state title under Peavy, who has compiled a 125-14 record at the school. He was the 2020-21 MaxPreps National Coach of the Year.
Black earned MaxPreps All-America Honorable Mention, averaging 13 points, five rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
Prior to Monday's news, Duncanville was favored to win its fourth consecutive state title in 2022-23 and a contender for the No. 1 national ranking once again. The Panthers are scheduled to open the season Nov. 12 against Brennan (San Antonio).
Adding to Duncanville's troubles, the girls basketball program was also sanctioned by the UIL. According to Greg Riddle of the Dallas Morning News, the Panthers are ineligible for the state playoffs this season and head coach LaJeanna Howard was also hit with a one-year suspension.
