Ayala also told people he was related to Aquino, and the ESPN articlerefers to Aquino having a cousin in New Jersey. Faculty members don't believe it and told KIRO 7 high school Principal Justyna King worked to improve the culture at the school, increased diversity and cared about academics for all students. EHS. ", Selwyn Rodriguez during practice with Vaqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rico. Most found something much closer to a nightmare. F: contact@email.org Get Directions. She had left Nigeria to play basketball and study at Evelyn Mack Academy in Charlotte, determined to earn a scholarship to an American college. All four ended up in Paterson, playing for the powerhouse teams at Eastside High School, now the focus of multiple state and local investigations after a series of NJ Advance Media reports. The stories, including allegations of human trafficking, highlighted how players on the boys and girls teams suddenly and mysteriously arrived with promises of playing time, eventual college scholarships and new homes, according to interviews with players and internal school documents. For most of the kids working at the Beat, getting accepted to college is only the first hurdle. - Karen Hatch, Eastside Catholic, Marketing and Communications Director. Griles had taken the role of legal guardian for most of those players, the schools subsequent investigation found. In the fall of 2015, officials from her high school filed a report to the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency (formerly the Department of Youth and Family Services). The video recording was sent via Snapchat to a lot of their buddies at Eastside Catholic and other Eastside high schools. No one was seriously injured in the melee. My mom, shes a housekeeper and she used to work at a house in the Palisades, and the lady had kids and was very school-oriented, said Azucena Hilario, a Bravo junior. But there are far more serious allegations being probed by agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)s special investigations unit including the alleged activities of a group of men who apparently refer to themselves as The Disciples.. According to videos shared on. The college scouts never came, either. The task force . One student, Bravo junior Andy Garcia, hadnt said much during the discussion. According to videos shared on social media, a male student can be seen escorting a female student with hands behind her back. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. He formerly served as our interim president. The decision was made yesterday to reverse these changes and go back to the previous structure. After his departure, the district reduced some of the penalties. ASB. Those tests were part of a 50-step corrective action plan implemented by Paterson Public Schools in the aftermath of the scandal that resulted in Eastsides basketball teams being banned from this years state tournament as well as the dismissals and suspensions of several athletic department staff members. In a practice last week with the Vaqueros, Selwyn finished every drill with a flourish. I would call the school about that.". (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com). COVINGTON, Ga. - Students at Eastside High School are under fire after a social media post went viral showing discriminatory and racial remarks and actions. Same goes for any attempt at blackmail. We heard strong opposition to the changes from both the faculty and our community. Calendar & Category Legend: Eastside High School. When he contacted Lyde, the coach offered a spot on his team and free housing. When one Disciple wanted to get out earlier this year, he was told in no uncertain terms that leaving was not an option. Since our first story on Thornblade ran last week, we have been bombarded with tips related to these various allegations. Aquino needed to get to the U.S., where she could develop her game, earn a college scholarship and potentially play professionally. *State athletics group orders hearing into Eastside. Former Supreme Court justice was paid$900 each time he traveled from South Jersey to the Passaic County school. *District busted budget on$90k Wallace report. Infighting, finger pointing and chaos erupted among high-ranking Paterson school district administrators as the Eastside High basketball scandal barreled out of control, according to a. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. But even after winning the MVP at a holiday tournament, Griles ignored him. 701. By Steve Lopez Columnist. *A Star-Ledger Editorial: Report flawed by 'unexpectedly bizarre conclusion', Justice Wallace's work is "relentlessly ignorant of those who coach sports on this level. Given the broad investigatory powers this federal agency possesses when it comes to all manner of cybercrime there is literally no telling what facets of this saga it could be probing. The districts action plan also created a policy requiring all students to register for school at the districts central headquarters. Once in the mainland United States, Ortiz slept on piles of laundry and cold floors, while Rodriguez lived with a stranger who openly used drugs. Griles, he said, even bragged that he had contacts on the coaching staff at Rutgers, and that a Division 1 scholarship could be his if he came to Paterson. We now recognize that this timing was a mistake, and we are working to rectify the impact it has had. Lyde, in an interviewbefore his team's season was suspended, refuted Ugboaja's story and denied any wrongdoing. Seattle Times staff reporter On the night of April 20, 2018, five players from Eastside Catholic's powerhouse high school football team rode through Bellevue in a pickup with a 16-year-old. Ejiofor, then 15, had made her own arrangements, navigating the complicated immigration process. From news that sixoverseas players were living with the boys coach to the discovery of an international pipeline funneling athletes to Paterson since 2013 and the waves of fallout pounding the school and its officials, here's the reporting of Steve Politi and Matt Stanmyre: *The Fast Break: How final 2 players escaped Eastside. Griles, as has been the case since NJ Advance Media broke the story two months ago, did not return multiple calls for comment. 0:49. "It was like he offered me heaven," Ortiz said. "It was hell," Ortiz said. "Yesterday we were made aware of an inappropriate post on social media made by students at Eastside High School," Davis told The Covington News. "He didn't have a bed (for me) so I was sleeping on a pile of clothes on the floor. After starting high school that spring, Aquino, who now stands 6-9, joined the powerhouse New Jersey Sparks AAU program. The players came to Paterson Eastside from Nigeria, Paraguay and Puerto Rico in search of their own hoops dream. Rodriguez scored 20 points in a head-to-head matchup with Karl-Anthony Towns, who eventually became the No. "This is her cry for help.". Ejiofor said she was greeted by a man she had never met or heard of -- Ray Lyde Jr., the girls coach at Eastside. Officials said Johnson has been using sick days she accumulated during her career with Paterson Public Schools, which started in 1979. Griles, the Rodriguezes said, then became a ghost, leaving the brothers to taxi to doctor's appointments in Fort Lee. "I ended up in Jersey.". undefined Paterson Eastside High School basketball scandal From news that six overseas players were living with the boys coach to the discovery of an international pipeline funneling. Thats not their job. Father Heric was appointed to be interim president after the previous president, John Kennedy, resigned over the summer. The school will be known as Eastside High School effective the 2022-2023 school year, which begins in the fall, following a vote during Tuesday evening's board of education meeting. Selwyn and Esteban added they rarely left that room because they feared what was happening downstairs. *The (many!) District officials have not yet announced whether he will return to that role. In the meantime, a disclaimer as we have been investigating these reports, we have been cautioned (repeatedly) that controversial behavior is not necessarily the same as criminal behavior. Directions on submission are attached. Paterson school board President Oshin Castillo said the district has emphasized accountability among its staff members. It was an unfortunate ending for Ejiofor, who otherwise excelled at Eastside. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. He was benched for a first-round state playoff game, and the reason seemed almost too cruel to believe. Some of these Disciples are members at the Thornblade club, we are told. 0:05. But over here, you're like a god.". The game was held at Cherry Hill East High School, a neutral site for both teams. Blessing Ejiofor (left) and Andrea Aquino pose in a picture posted to Twitter in November 2015. She deserves this opportunity. The Jordans have declined multiple requests for interviews, but Aquino appears to be well clothed, well cared for and her social media accounts suggest she is adjusting to life as an American teenager. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. And he regrets others who followed him encountered similar problems. I think things like this happen all the time.. coach blew up, NJSIAA demands 'full accounting' from hoops power with several overseas players, School suspends hoops coach who had 6 overseas players living with him. Supervisor of Athletics at Eastside High School phone: 973 321-0515 Email: thill@paterson.k12.nj.us. Aquino was moved to a Prospect Park apartment with a district employee, an arrangement that "was supposed to last a couple weeks." She said students had turned down offers that were close to free rides because they couldnt come up with the several thousand dollars still due. According to our sources, most of the initial speculation has centered around Eastside High Schoolin Taylors, S.C. - and perhaps one other nearby school in the South Carolina government-run. Home. How the administrative changes were executed and the timing was a mistake and our community has spoken. "Papi, if I don't leave this place soon, it'll drive me crazy," he told his father in a phone conversation. For now, however, he thinks about other opportunities he had after that big international tournament in 2011, and how his career might have been different had he never met Griles. Although many Boyle Heights Beat reporters over the years have applied to USC, the programs mentors could not recall a single one getting admitted. He left Paterson midway through the season and returned to Puerto Rico. Finally, Evans had said that one of Eastsides principals, Karen Johnson, would not be disciplined because she was going to retire. State Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex) called on Attorney General Christopher Porrino to investigate Paterson Eastside. Similarly, it is unclear whether the USSS investigation into Thornblade is tied to the alleged credit card fraud or some of the more illicit, sexually charged allegations. Donald Trump Teases Delay Of 2020 Election, Internet Goes Bonkers, SC Teen Honor Student Falsely Accused Of Attempted Murder In Mall Shooting, Lawsuit Says, SC Vocational Rehab Scandal: Report Issued, Clemson Universitys Office Of Planned Giving Is Living In An Alternative Reality Right Now, South Carolina Insurance Fraud Sting: 18 Charged, LIVE FEED Murdaugh Murders Trial: Day Twenty-Seven, South Carolina Freedom Caucus Files Lawsuit, Murdaugh Murders Trial: Attorney General Stands And Delivers. Now hes under review, Blizzard conditions close major highways and roads in Lake Tahoe area, I-5 closed through Grapevine as last wave of winter storm hits Southern California, Dictators and criminals fear this USC instructor whos making the case for an Oscar. In addition, two Board members have stepped down. The connection was facilitated by Henry Ugboaja, the director of a prominent camp in Nigeria. "I'm willing to go as far as I have to. Four players from three continents -- all bound by the same dream and pitch: Leave your friends and family behind, travel thousands of miles and use basketball to find a better life. The school board terminated two Eastside High School basketball coaches and the school's athletics supervisor on Wednesday night as a result of an investigation into the school's use of foreign players on its team. The high and mighty went as low as they could go, and it did not play well in Boyle Heights. According to that action , Brian Gem Garrison - a former adjunct tennis coach at Eastside High School in Taylors, S.C. - was protected in allegedly predatory activities by the school's . On Tuesday, New Jersey's governing body for high school sports levied an unprecedented level of sanctions against the Eastside boys and girls basketball programs, including a two-year state. Griles, he said, promised to handle the rest, leaving Edwin to assume his boys would be safe and comfortable. "We're not dumb people. 2022-2023 School Year Calendar. Specifically, the inquiry sought to determine whether the deputy in question failed to report his knowledge of alleged illegal activity including the dissemination of sexually explicit material to minors to his superiors. Should they lose their jobs? These allegations have since received mainstream media coverage courtesy of The Greenville News. Our sources also tell us not all of the sex acts currently under the law enforcement microscope were necessarily consensual which would be criminal under any circumstances. Christine Kelley, an adult advisor to the Beat which operates under the auspices of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism said shed been on the job eight years and had never seen students deal with more pressure. According to our sources, Mathews was grilled for more than three hours by investigators. I found out in late June of this year that my wife, Jennifer Mathews, had engaged in multiple extramarital activities, Mathews said in the statement. Selwyn Rodriguez never imagined a basketball journey that included meeting reporters in front of a giantbottle of seasoning salt. All rights reserved. Paterson Eastside High School basketball ban upheld by state commissioner, Paterson names new coach for Eastside girls basketball team, Michael Baker named boys basketball coach as Eastside looks to rebound from scandal, Paterson picks new AD to replace one fired in Eastside hoops scandal, Lawyer says Paterson Eastside coach victim of fake news in hoops scandal, Paterson's Eastside loses appeal of ban from state basketball tourney, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. "We just needed one college scout to come and visit him, but nobody ever came. Selwyn Rodriguez with Vaqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rico. Steve Lopez is a California native who has been a Los Angeles Times columnist since 2001. (Natalie Jordan also has been suspended by the district.) The Eastside basketball scandal was exposed in news stories published in the Star-Ledger. In an interview, Ugboaja said officials at Evelyn Mack demanded money for room and board for Ejiofor and he refused. [4] More specifically, we have been informed that investigators are looking to question a former athletics coach at Eastside over his alleged proximity to some of the central figures in this unspooling drama. Selwyn tore his ACL in his very first game at Eastside. And at 6-foot-5, Ejiofor led Eastside to a pair of Passaic County championships, earning scholarship offers from Duke, LSU, Syracuse, Rutgers and several others. We had faith. PATERSON As a result of the basketball recruiting scandal that rocked Eastside High School in 2017, more than 100 Paterson sports coaches this year were required to pass a test . He plays wheelchair basketball, he said, hoping for a scholarship. At 6-foot-7, people in her village thoughtshewas a freak --all arms and legs clinging to themotorcycle she and her mother sold clothes from to support themselves. Her stay with Ayala did not last long, according to coaches and the report, even though he is still listed as her guardian on school documents. He told his father he needed a mattress and a TV, but even after the father sent $600 to buy both, they never materialized. Carol said she was talking to her father about the scandal, and they wondered where the cheating stopped. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. But when she landed in Queens, Ejiofor was dealt an immediate and unimaginable surprise: North Carolina was out and she was headed to New Jersey and a school called Paterson Eastside. 1 Union City. *15 questions we still want answered after taxpayer-funded special report. I used to play against them and perform good. We want to make sure everything is done properly, Castillo said. Legislation would ban buying, selling, makingor altering a transcript with the intent to deceive. In the meantime, we are told half of Greenville is lawyered up in response to our ongoing reporting on the Thornblade saga prompting several of our sources to warn us to be careful how we proceed. Having said all of that, there are criminal statutes on the books which protect minors in this state from being exploited and prevent adults from contributing to their delinquency. According to our sources, the Thornblade saga has elements that could potentially fall under both of these categories. We are not taking away any of the prior successes they have had this year, but we want them to know their actions have consequences.That said, even though we will be making this a growth opportunity for our students, we will also continue to contest the unfounded allegations being investigated by the NJSIAA. 0:57. Often, the players lived with coaches or other school employees. So far, there has been no official acknowledgement of the seismic, sexually charged side of this investigation by anyone in law enforcement. unanswered questions in the Paterson basketball scandal. For now, we are continuing to vet all of the information coming in and we hope to have additional information to report to our readers soon. Ejiofor still hopes to return to the U.S. and pursue her dreams, but she said she has been denied a new visa three times. She said she learned of the problem after enrolling last summer at Vanderbilt, where she had earned a full athletic scholarship. Instead, he ended up in a cramped, uncomfortable attic, fearful of the woman on the floors below, her drug habit and the visitors she attracted. Contact Us, 973-321-1000. *Homeland Security joins probe, with eye on international pipeline. On Tuesday, September 1, 2020, we reported that Rick Mathews had been interviewed on the previousTuesday (August 25, 2020)by agents of DHS Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)unit. A few minutes later, the emcee hummed a few bars from "The Final Countdown" as a basketball-shaped mascot with a cowboy hat and bushy moustache made its grand entrance. Under his suspension, Lyde is eligible to resume coaching the Eastside girls team next season. Now, the state wants answers as the district takes action. According to our sources, one of these central figures is said to be involved in a forthcoming family court matter although no additional details about that case were provided. It's still unclear what sparked the altercation. He has won more than a dozen national journalism awards and is a four-time Pulitzer finalist. We are disappointed that these students engaged in this inappropriate behavior. Eastside High School. "Nobody wanted to spend the money once she got here. I think Eileen Shafer has done a tremendous job being proactive on this.. WHAT TO KNOW: After winning Saturday's sectional semifinal at No. Olson, the recruiting analyst, said he watched Aquino play twice in January and marveled over her agility for a player of her size. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. "She's obviously confused and doesn't understand what's going on. Today, nearly two years after arriving in Paterson, Aquino's living situation has steadied, according to school officials. 1:07. *How scandal of overseas hoops players living with H.S. It happened during the Camden County Tournament Championship game between Camden High School and Eastside High School. 3 Ghosts (24-5 . ", Said Edwin Rodriguez: "(Griles) basically put my sons' lives at risk putting them in this house with this drug addict. when she graduated from high school. Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. CLICK HERE. Support NJ.com, Matthew Stanmyre and Steve Politi | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Juan Griles, the basketball coach at Eastside. Spirit Week Application SIC Call for Nominations SIC Call for Nominations All content you upload or otherwise submit to this site school officials camp in Nigeria was not an option as... 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