Kenwood boys basketball advances in state playoffs despite losing players in enrollment fraud controversy – Hyde Park Herald

The Kenwood Academy Broncos beat the Oak Lawn Spartans 60-54 at a home game on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024

The Kenwood Academy Broncos beat the Oak Lawn Spartans 60-54 at a home game on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024
After almost getting booted from the state playoffs, the Kenwood Academy boys basketball team defeated Oak Lawn High School in Friday’s regional championship match with a final score of 60-54.
The game happened just a day after the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) reversed its decision to bar Kenwood from the playoffs over an investigation revealing enrollment fraud among several of its student-athletes. Instead of banning the entire team, the IHSA ruled that Kenwood could continue in the playoffs without five student-athletes found to have falsified their residency to attend Kenwood, head coach Mike Irvin and two assistant coaches.
The Feb. 23 game, at Kenwood’s own gymnasium, was packed and boisterous. Large sections of students from both schools jeered at each other.
The first two quarters were a dogfight, with Kenwood leading by 25-21 by halftime. It continued to be a tight match in the second half, until the Spartans received two technical fouls late in the fourth quarter. The Broncos took full advantage, scoring free throws to clinch the victory.
“We were prepared,” said Kenwood’s freshman guard Devin “DC” Cleveland, who scored 19 points against the Spartans. “We had a good walkthrough before the game. We just had to tell the guys to settle down, we can win this thing.”
The win, which came without some of Kenwood’s key players this season and its head coach, is a result of players “blocking out the noise,” said Mohammed Cookbey, a temporary head coach.
“These kids worked so hard academically and on the basketball court – this is what they deserve,” he continued. “These guys are given a chance when everybody is counting them out, when the odds are against them, to turn the tables. And we live to fight another day.”
Three of the five student-athletes barred from playing attended last Friday’s game to support the Broncos.
“Even though I can’t play, it’s still good to see my guys come out here and compete at the highest level,” said one of the student-athletes on the sidelines. “I’m happy they won, I’m going to keep being supportive, even if I’m not on the court.”
The players who are currently eligible have been increasing their play-making abilities, including senior star forward Calvin Robins Jr. and sophomore guard Rajan Roberts.
“We just wanted to win it for our teammates,” said Robins, who recorded 11 points and eight rebounds against Oak Lawn. “We needed everybody in that room to step up and give it their all like it’s their last game, and they did that.”
With three freshmen added to their roster, the Broncos will face longtime Chicago Public League rivals Simeon Career Academy on Wednesday.
“(I just) block out the outside noise,” said Cleveland of the enrollment fraud violations. “We just focus, we know we can win with any team we pull out in the locker room.”
The IHSA Class 4A sectional semifinal game will start at 7 p.m. on Feb. 28 7 pm at Riverside- Brookfield High School, 160 Ridgewood Road.
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Updated: June 21, 2024 @ 11:47 pm
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