The school district that lost its appeal in a controversial New Jersey high school boys’ basketball game is now considering legal action, according to the Asbury Park Press.
Dr. Frank Kasyan, the Superintendent of Manasquan school district, is seeking an injunction to halt future games after officials disallowed Manasquan High School’s buzzer-beater against Camden High School on Tuesday night.
The New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association acknowledged on Wednesday that officials had made an incorrect call after a thorough review. Despite this admission, Manasquan’s appeal was denied, as per the established rules.
“I’ve turned it over to Michael Gross, our school board attorney,” Kasyan told the Asbury Park Press. “I’d like to see him obtain an injunction from the court to stop the games until our protest is heard because, often, protests drag on, and it becomes a moot point. The game is on Saturday. This needs to happen quickly, and he’s on it.”
Kasyan emphasized the importance of a just and ethical decision by the NJSIAA (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association), citing physical evidence that contradicts the officials’ ruling.
The controversy stems from an incident in the game where Camden’s Alijah Curry made a free throw, putting his team up by one point with 5.8 seconds remaining. Manasquan attempted a game-winning shot, with Rey Weinseimer making a contested three-pointer that hit the right side of the rim.
Teammate Griffin Linstra appeared to tip the ball back into the hoop before the buzzer, prompting Manasquan fans to storm the court in celebration. However, after referee consultation, the basket was disallowed, granting Camden the victory.
While the NJSIAA has not responded to Kasyan’s remarks, it released a statement justifying its decision not to overturn the game result, citing rules and regulations that prevent post-game reviews and challenges using video or audio recordings.
The district expressed frustration with the NJSIAA’s refusal to correct an obvious and well-documented error, vowing to pursue available appeals to uphold fair play and integrity in interscholastic athletics.
Despite the NJSIAA’s assertion that games cannot be reversed after officials leave the playing grounds, Kasyan pointed to instances like last year’s baseball tournament, where Ridge was disqualified two days after a pitch-count violation in a win over Westfield.
“I am not contesting the officials’ decision; I am looking at the decision of the game,” Kasyan stated. “We won that game, so again, it’s up to the New Jersey State Athletic Association to decide the right thing here.” Camden High School is scheduled to play Arts High School on Saturday in the NJSIAA Group 2 final at Rutgers University.