Massachusetts Boys Basketball Team Forfeits Seven Wins After Violating MIAA Rules

The Stoneham Spartans will forfeit seven victories in the 2024-25 Massachusetts boys basketball season after fielding an ineligible player.

New England Basketball Journal’s Steve Hewitt wrote about the rules violated by the school competing in the Middlesex League. In a statement released by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, the Spartans self-reported about violating Rules 57 and 59. Rule 57 pertains to the eligibility of transfer students while Rule 59 is about ‘Time Allowed for Participation After First Entering Grade Nine.’

Boston 25 news reporter Bryan Lambert wrote that Stoneham officials launched an investigation regarding this concern. They found out that one Massachusetts boys basketball player was ineligible to compete. While the exact rules violated were not determined, MIAA Rule 57.1 states:

“A student who transfers from any school to an MIAA member high school is ineligible to participate in any interscholastic athletic contest at any level for a period of one year in all sports in which that student participated at the varsity level or its equivalent during the one-year period immediately preceding the transfer.”

Meanwhile, Rule 59.1 of the MIAA Rules and Regulations states:

“A student shall be eligible for interscholastic competition for no more than four consecutive years after initially entering Grade 9. This limitation shall apply without regard to actual participation or attempt to participate.”

According to MIAA Rule 86, “Participation of an Ineligible Student, the violating member school must forfeit every competition in which the ineligible student competed.”

This ruling negates the transformation achieved by Stoneham early in the 2024-25 Massachusetts boys basketball season. Last season, the Spartans went 3-18 with a 1-15 record among opponents in the Middlesex League.

This season, Stoneham falls to 0-8 with each game registered as 10-0 in their opponent’s favor. That record makes them fourth worst in the MIAA Division 3 Boys Basketball Power Rankings.

Stoneham Apologizes to Affected Massachusetts Boys Basketball Opponents

Meanwhile, Lambert added that Stoneham Athletic Director David Pigone apologized to their opponents by sending this message:

“This is a difficult situation for many involved, especially the remaining kids on our team. We pride ourselves on following all rules set by the MIAA and will continue to do so. Thank you for your understanding and we apologize for this error.”

Likewise, Stoneham Superintendent Dave Ljungberg confirmed that the ineligible player is off the team.