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SoCal Prep & High School News

Ian Boys Denied Eligibility at Simi (10/24/97)

You knew it had to happen. After receiving transfer after transfer after transfer, Simi has finally been told no by Southern Section Chairman Dean Crowley, who yesterday ruled that Ian Boys, a 6'-7" senior transfer from Ventura Buena may not play for Simi Valley. Boys, who had this summer become the legal ward of Bobby Fullove, Branduinn Fullove's dad, for "financial reasons", according to Boys' own father, had applied for a hardhip waiver to play basketball at Simi. Crowley's reasons for denial of the waiver were not made public, but Fullove told the LA Times' Rob Fernas that he thinks the grounds are there to appeal it. According to the Times, Fullove will appeal to a three-person executive committee on November 5 at a meeting to be held at Southern Section headquarters.

Buena Coach Glen Hannah, who has all along maintained that the hardship waiver and the legal guardianship is really just an improper attempt by Fullove to recruit for Simi High, told the Times' Fernas that he thinks its the right decision. Apparently Boys was also told by the Southern Section that he could return to Buena to complete his senior year there, but Hannah has said no way, he won't let Boys return to the team even if he does come back to Buena. Hannah told the Times last month, when school started, that he was very bitter about the transfer, and believed that it was clearly "recruiting" related, having nothing to do with financial reasons. He also said earlier that he first found out about Boys' transfer and change of legal status (the guardianship), on the first day of school when Boys' didn't return.

Simi has been considered for the past few years as having been unusually lucky in getting players. A few years ago, Pero Valilejevic, a 6'-9" exchange student from Australia showed up unannounced to stay with the family of another Simi player. Then last year Rafael Berumen, a 6'-8" soph and one of the area's most widely touted talents showed up. Also that same year, 6'-4" Branduinn Fullove, a freshman whom many believed should have played at Canoga Park High, enrolled in the Simi Magnet at Santa Susana, but was allowed to play basketball at Simi rather than at Royal. According to the Times, the Fulloves have now moved to Simi, and Branduinn is a regular attendee at Simi High.

Eric Boys', Ian's father told the Times that he's happy to let the Southern Section know about the "real facts" at the November 5 meeting. If the Southern Section doesn't overturn Crowley, the last step would be to appeal to the State CIF office.

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