The promises were the same he made Rodriguez, his future teammate. 0:49. Jio Fontan, a former Sparks coach and now the head coach at Queen of Peace High, said he worked closely with Aquino early in her New Jersey stay. He came to New Jersey that fall, just before basketball season began, and moved into a house where Griles lived in Somerset. Lyde also told Ugboaja the school could accept international students with I-20s, Ugboaja said. She wants to major in psychology and build a career helping students who feel as stressed as she does now. Paterson officials 'highly troubled' by latest bombshell in scandal that began with report of 6 overseas players living in coach's condo and widened to include concerns of human trafficking. A closer look how the Paterson Eastside scandal has unfolded -- from a tip to a report detailing how 6 overseas players were living with the new-suspended coach of the powerhouse team. If you have difficulty accessing information on our website due to a disability, contact Ms. Green, Director of Operations, at [email protected] or (201) 526-8500 ext. LAPD Deputy Chief Gerald Woodyard said LAPD narcotics detectives working with the Long Beach-based Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents recovered 82 firearms, including 42 ghost guns used by the Eastside Wilmas gang, along with 19 pounds of methamphetamine, 5 pounds of cocaine and 3 kilograms of fentanyl. 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. *NJSIAA announces new hearings to deal with Eastside fallout. * Ousted athletic director: There are others at school involved in scandal. CLICK HERE. "Over there if you're that tall, you're like a monster. 1 Union City. "No, I'm not her legal guardian," Ayala said when reached by phone earlier this year. For Andrea and fellow Boyle Heights Beat reporters, news of the $25-million college entrance racketeering scandal hit like a gut punch. Follow him on Twitter @MattStanmyre. There are also blackmail allegations linked to the rumored prostitution/ sex ring. 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. Aquino needed to get to the U.S., where she could develop her game, earn a college scholarship and potentially play professionally. That meeting took place almost one year to the day after the Paterson Board of Education approved disciplinary action against five employees including the termination of Eastsides athletics supervisor, Gregory Cooper; the removal of the head coach of the boys team, Juan Griles; and the suspension of the head coach of the girls squad, Ray Lyde Jr. I think Paterson is ready to move on, said Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly, a former football and baseball coach at Eastside, who now coaches Hackensack High School's football team. 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. Most found something much closer to a nightmare. In April 2015, the teenager moved to New Jersey, using a visa issued for a New York-based private school, the document said. Thanks to our long history of educational excellence and deeply felt sense of mission, any change at Eastside Catholic invites high interest from our current and alumnae community. "She didn't know any English, so I just kind of guided her through that," Fontan said. But their jobs dont cover all the bills, Andrea said, so when her mother gets home after her Friday night shift, she prepares the pupusas, then steals an hour of sleep before selling them Saturday morning with Andreas 14-year-old sister. Juan Griles,coach of the powerhouse boys basketball team, was among those fired by the Board of Education. Griles, as has been the case since NJ Advance Media broke the story two months ago, did not return multiple calls for comment. *African players are flocking to top N.J. basketball teams. CHERRY HILL, New Jersey (WPVI) -- An altercation broke out Thursday night in the middle of a high school basketball game in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. The Camden City School District said Friday that both teams have been withdrawn from the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) state tournament. 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. Classes could be delayed at a high school sports power house after more than a dozen teachers walked off the job. *NJSIAA slams Eastside with unprecedented penalties. "I am innocent and didn't know any better," Ejiofor said. 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. 701. By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism. *Fired coach wonders: How did I become guardian for 7-foot Nigerian player? All Rights Reserved. Another school board member, Emmanuel Capers, said he still believes the actions taken as a result of the news stories were excessive. In addition, the changes were announced very close to the start of the school year, which caused a lot of consternation. 2023 www.northjersey.com. The injured boy is 16 years old. They had SAT preps and the older girl was a senior in high school, and theyd use her old tests to study, and they would hire private tutors for them.. Father Heric remains our chaplain and community liaison. Griles, he said, promised to handle the rest, leaving Edwin to assume his boys would be safe and comfortable. 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. 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. Finally, Evans had said that one of Eastsides principals, Karen Johnson, would not be disciplined because she was going to retire. According to videos shared on social media, a male student can be seen escorting a female student with hands behind her back. "We're not dumb people. Eastside Catholic updated its website announcing Father William Heric, the school's chaplain, as the interim president on Thursday. I didn't really get into her family situation or where she was staying.". Unfortunately, the timing was poorly chosen, because it happened just a few weeks before school. There was no disagreement on that point, or on another one: I was disappointed, but I was not surprised, said Carol Martnez, a Roosevelt senior who has been accepted by two California State University schools and Loyola University New Orleans but is hoping to get into UCLA, USC, UC Santa Barbara or Wesleyan. When I think about even if it was just 50 students whose parents cheated for them, those 50 spots could have actually gone to someone who gained those positions.. 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. 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 . The Paterson Public School District announced wide-ranging penalties to its athletics department. - Karen Hatch, Eastside Catholic, Marketing and Communications Director. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. This sounds crazy, but if I have to fly all the way back to (New Jersey), I will.". 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. 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. The change was posted the day after the school had a meeting with parents. Carol said she was talking to her father about the scandal, and they wondered where the cheating stopped. ", Selwyn Rodriguez during practice with Vaqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rico. Ortiz then briefly played collegiately before pursuing a career in music and art. And while there are disagreements over the size and scope of the entanglements, the gist of the narrative is basically the same. He has won more than a dozen national journalism awards and is a four-time Pulitzer finalist. "No one ever told me, and I wish someone did.". *Eastside girls team out of states, multiple suspensions announced. For most of the kids working at the Beat, getting accepted to college is only the first hurdle. In anticipation of a radio story for the Beat, Andrea went to work on her Roosevelt campus last week and asked students what they thought of the scandal. when she graduated from high school. Christian Ortiz and his father, William, heard journalists from New Jersey were in Puerto Rico for a story on Eastside and drove 90 minutes from their home for an audience. 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. He called her a "no-misser" talent-wise, but said "my heart goes out to the kid. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Gregory Cooper, the Eastside athletic director cut loose, says he was an 'easy target' and made a scapegoat. 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. Father Heric was appointed to be interim president after the previous president, John Kennedy, resigned over the summer. "It was hell," Ortiz said. Teachers told KIRO 7 Eastside Catholic has buses that bring students who live far away to Eastside Catholic to play football -- with tuition paid for through the Independent School Association. Griles, Ortiz said, refused to stop for food after practice even after he repeatedly complained he was hungry. But over here, you're like a god.". "He made a lot of promises about the future, about getting Selwyn to a university, about getting him to Division 1," Selwyn's father, Edwin, said. The connection was facilitated by Henry Ugboaja, the director of a prominent camp in Nigeria. Often, the players lived with coaches or other school employees. We had hope," said Selwyn's older brother, Esteban, who joined him in Paterson at their father's insistence. Theres the front door, which is you get through yourself. VIDEO: Eastside Catholic HS teachers quit Classes could be delayed at a high school sports power house after more than a dozen teachers walked off the job. unanswered questions in the Paterson basketball scandal, How scandal of overseas hoops players living with H.S. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). And he regrets others who followed him encountered similar problems. Although many Boyle Heights Beat reporters over the years have applied to USC, the programs mentors could not recall a single one getting admitted. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The deputy in question is a family friend of both Rick and Jennifer Mathews (below), our sources say. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com). CLICK HERE. 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. 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. 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