Boys Basketball: Careful For What You Wish For

Van Nuys High School went through a long process to get brothers Mat and Willie Hankins eligible to play basketball.

The brothers transferred to the school from Sylmar but were initially denied eligibility because Charles White was an assistant coach at Sylmar before landing the head coaching position at Van Nuys.

City section official Barbara Fiege cited a new transfer rule that players can't follow coaches from school to school in denying the eligibility of the brothers.

However, before a three person state appeals panel, the brothers with lawyers in tow won an appeal gaining immediate eligibilty last week.

Good or Bad for Van Nuys?

Obviously the brothers are talented and it is ultimately good for Van Nuys but after winning three league games without them, the Wolves have dropped two straight league games with Mat and Willie in the line-up.

Losing to undefeated North Hollywood last Friday can be accepted but dropping a game to Poly of Sun Valley Wednesday is troubling.

Van Nuys needs to figure out a way to get everybody on the same page very quickly. There is only two more weeks (5 games) left in the regular season.