Phillips must forfeit season's wins

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:44PM

Frank Williams, a talented 6-7 junior, was expected to team up with 6-7

forward Ray McGrew to give Vocational a formidable front court this season.

Williams transferred to Phillips instead, where he is averaging 19 points

and 16 rebounds per game for the Wildcats - helping them to a 6-5 record in

the first month of the season.

Unfortunately for Phillips, it turns out Williams was never cleared to play.

The school received a letter from the IHSA and the Chicago Public League on

Thursday stating that Williams is ineligible and all games he participated

in will be forfeited.

"After receiving a report from the IHSA, I investigated and found that Frank

Williams, who played at Vocational last year, had participated in basketball

without receiving an official ruling of eligibility regarding his transfer,"

said Public League Sports Director Calvin Davis. "I then informed Phillips

they had to forfeit all the games he participated in and he is now

ineligible until further notice."

Phillips is 6-5 overall and 1-1 in the Blue Central. The teams the Wildcats

defeated (Palatine, Kenwood, Bowen, DuSable, Kelvyn Park, Wells) will each

pick up a win as a result of the ruling.

Davis also said that no student athlete who transfers can participate until

they receive their eligibility ruling.

Vocational coach Chris Pickett said

the protest did not come from the Cavaliers.

"We did not file an official protest over here," Pickett said. "We just

moved on. But everyone knows the situation."

Two other players transferred from Phillips from Vocational with Williams,

but they were cleared to play.

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