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Basketball player back in game

A circuit judge rules that economic hardship made a teen miss a year of basketball eligibility, so he clears the way for another season of hoops.

ST. PETERSBURG - Marquel Brooks sat on the bench for most of the first quarter of Friday's high school basketball game between Boca Ciega and Bradenton Manatee high schools.

With about a minute to go, the long wait finally came to an end.

The 18-year-old Brooks hopped off the bench and stepped onto the court, the latest chapter in a lengthy legal battle over whether the fifth-year senior should be eligible to play another year of basketball.

"It felt good being out there," said Brooks, who scored 14 points to help Boca Ciega defeat Bradenton Manatee, 74-56. "I just came out here tonight hoping to help the team out."

Brooks was allowed to play Friday after a ruling earlier in the day by Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Anthony Rondolino, who ruled that economic hardship cost the teenager a year of high school eligibility.

"This is an order that has the potential to change a life," said Brooks' lawyer, Mike Keane. "If he lines up at graduation and gets a diploma, that'll be quite a thing. If he lines up at graduation and gets an opportunity to go on and play somewhere, that'll be even better."

Keane said the family hopes that Brooks will increase his chances of playing college basketball by playing for Boca Ciega this year.

Brooks' coach, Bob Medici, echoed that view.

"I hope he makes the best of the situation," he said. "I hope this puts the drive in him to get what he wants out of this."

Jack Watford, director of communications for the Florida High School Athletic Association, said the association's lawyers will review the judge's decision next week and decide whether to appeal.

The controversy dates back to the ninth grade, when Brooks was on the varsity basketball team at Gibbs High School.

His family had to move because the housing project where they lived was condemned.

Their new home was in the Boca Ciega district, and the move ultimately left Brooks ineligible to play basketball his sophomore year.

Brooks played for Boca Ciega his junior and senior years. But this spring, he didn't graduate because he was a half-credit short and failed the FCAT.

He asked for a hardship waiver to play basketball this year, seeking to get back the year he had lost as a sophomore. But the Florida High School Athletic Association turned him down.

His family sued.

In December, a regional appeals panel of the Athletic Association held a hearing on Brooks' request.

The committee heard from Brooks, his father, his school principal and a volunteercoach about Brooks' circumstances.

Then one of the panel members, Mike Tucker, moved to deny Brooks' request.

"It's pretty much, you know, the eligibility bylaw, and it makes it very difficult to okay something like that," Tucker said.

The three panel members present voted down the request without further discussion.

Rondolino cited Tucker's remarks in his ruling.

He said Tucker apparently didn't understand that the panel had the authority to grant a waiver.

Especially since panel members didn't discuss it further, the other two voting may not have understood either, Rondolino said.

Despite the ruling, Brooks already has missed several games, and the regular season ends Feb. 12.

But Brooks said he has been keeping in shape by running on his own and playing in recreational leagues.

He said he had given up hope of playing again.

"My dad told me today," he said. "We hugged. He was more excited than I was."

Willie Brooks Sr., 39, said the decision presents a new opportunity for his son, who has a 2.5 GPA and is studying for the FCAT.

"Marquel had quite a few colleges looking at him, but he didn't have that piece of paper (diploma).

"Now, hopefully, this will give him that chance down the road."