Triplet basketball players keep switching places to trick referees, Missouri parent says
How’s this for a triple threat.
Parents of Missouri high school basketball players have accused triplets on an opposing team of swapping places repeatedly during free throws at a match-up last weekend, the Springfield News-Leader reports.
Triplets Auston, Bryson and Mason Luna are sophomores on Dora High School’s team, and their father Rick Luna is the coach and school principal, Yahoo reports.
The Dora Falcons beat Licking High School’s team 63 to 61 in the championship game of the Cabool Tournament on Saturday, with the help of the star triplets. But video of the game that has been posted on social media suggests that after fouls the triplets switched places without the referees realizing it, allowing another player to take the free throw, Ozarks Sports Zone reports.
The news site reports that one video shows Auston, No. 34, getting fouled and congregating with his team, but then going toward the bench as his brother, Bryson, No. 20, takes the free throw.
Another video catches Auston being fouled again but letting his other brother, Mason, No. 23, take the shot, according to Ozarks Sports Zone.
“The ref should have caught it,” Licking parent Josh Murray said, according to the News-Leader. “But I also think the coach planned it out and the boys knew what was going on too. It’s upsetting the integrity of the sport.”
The coach has denied allegations it was preplanned, Ozark Sports Zone reports.
“No, no,” Rick Luna said when asked if the switcheroo was premeditated, according to Ozarks Sports Zone.
He also suggested it wouldn’t have made a difference.
“The two free throws they’re talking about … (Dora) went one-for-four shooting those free throws and we won by two.”
A Twitter account that’s associated with the Dora basketball team retweeted a person who said “this happens all the time in basketball and has for years,” Yahoo reports.
It appears the Dora account has since deleted its retweet, but the Dora account still has “liked” the tweet from its account, as well as another tweet that says: “You can’t get mad over a pure genius move.”
The Missouri State High School Activities Association said it’s investigating.
“We are gathering as much information as we can right now,” said Jason West, the association’s communications director, according to Ozarks Sports Zone.
It’s not likely the investigation would change the outcome of the Licking game, though.
“As far as the game itself, there’s not a lot that can be done since the game is over,” West said, according to the News-Leader. “In situations like this, it’s more just a discussion and education of the officials and things like that.”
Murray, who shared the videos of the incident online, said parents on other teams complained of the triplets using the switcheroo in previous games, according to the News-Leader.
This story was originally published January 3, 2019 at 6:49 PM with the headline "Triplet basketball players keep switching places to trick referees, Missouri parent says."