CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — A decision has been made by the Texas University Interscholastic League on the two Moody High School basketball players who were caught on camera attacking another player last month.
The incident took place during a girls varsity basketball tournament at Nikki Rowe High School in McAllen on Nov. 17.
During a UIL State Executive Committee meeting Wednesday afternoon, UIL officials said three Moody HS players were involved and two them are sisters.
During the meeting, the sister's stepmother told UIL officials that a girl on the Laredo Nixon team hit her younger daughter in the eye while getting a rebound, giving her a black eye. Her older daughter and another Moody teammate got up from the bench and began an altercation on the court.
According to UIL protocol, at least one member of the coaching staff needs to stay on the bench during an altercation on the court. Both Moody coaches left the bench to help break up the fight, but by the time they realized their mistake, it was too late.
The two sisters then chased the player from Laredo off the court and that's when the fight broke out off-court.
A Moody HS coach testified that racial slurs were said during the fight but she wasn't told about the slurs until after the fight.
The Moody coach also alleged that it was the fault of the passive referees that the situation got out of hand, and insisted the fight wouldn't have happened, "if they had controlled it."
Despite the back and forth between coaches, parents, school representatives from both Laredo Nixon and Moody, UIL committee members stated that there would be repercussions for the Moody sisters.
"If we don't send a strong message today, we lose an educational moment," UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt said during the meeting.
The punishments
After testimony wrapped up, the UIL announced their decisions, for the players involved and for the Moody's girls varisty basketball team.
Originally the Moody sisters were suspended for three games and the other Moody player for two games. But committee chair Mike Motheral, as well as other members of the Committee, agreed that a three game suspension for the sisters, "wasn't adequate."
The Moody girl who came off the bench has been suspended for the rest of the basketball season. UIL officials also suspended the two sisters from all extracurricular activities for the rest of the school year.
The state committee also placed Moody High School girl's basketball program on a two year probation and will give them a public reprimand. That means the information of the event will be listed on UIL's website. UIL also ordered the team to undergo additional training.
The UIL made it clear that racial slurs are not tolerated in our schools and asked both campuses to address it.
Meanwhile, the two sisters are facing criminal assault charges in this case, which are being handled by the Hidalgo County authorities.
