Sunset boys’ basketball team ‘heartbroken’ after contact tracing might end its season

Barring some late change, Sunset’s boys’ basketball season is over, and it did not end on the court.

The Knights, who beat LaSalle last week to win just the second district title in school history and their first such crown since 2015, were supposed to host the Edison Red Raiders in a Class 4A regional quarterfinal game on Thursday night.

However, that game was canceled because of COVID-19 protocol/contact tracing.

Coral Gables is in a situation similar to Sunset. The Cavaliers defeated Columbus last Friday night. One day after the game, a Columbus coach had a positive test, according to Gables assistant coach Marcos Molina. On Wednesday, a Columbus player or players tested positive, Molina said.

Even so, Columbus’ regional quarterfinal game at Ferguson, which had been scheduled for Thursday, has been pushed back to Saturday.

The FHSAA official website lists Gables-Palmetto as set to play Saturday night.

However, Molina said the “health department told our principal that our game is off. We can’t even practice. We are appealing.”

Columbus coach Andrew Moran declined comment as to why his team was allowed to play, referring questions to principal David Pugh. Voice mails left with Pugh’s office were not returned by press time.

Meanwhile, the school district has requested approval for a delay of the games. Daisy Gonzalez-Diego, the Chief Communications and Community Engagement Officer for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, released a statement Friday afternoon:

“Miami-Dade County Public Schools continues to follow all CDC guidelines related to the quarantining of individuals. The District is requesting approval from the Florida High School Athletic Association for the delay of upcoming games affecting teams that have been quarantined. This will allow our student athletes to participate in this tournament, while adhering to existing safety and health protocols.”

LaSalle on Tuesday notified Sunset that some of its players had tested positive for COVID. On Wednesday, Sunset was forced to cancel practice. Their game against Edison was also off, and the team was crushed, especially its only two seniors, twins Justin and Dylan Harris.

“We were mad,” Justin Harris said when asked how his team reacted. “Our whole season got canceled.”

This was a rare year for Sunset High, established in 1978. With a record of 14-7, this might have ended up as its best team ever.

But now, it’s over … unless something, such as rescheduling the game, happens before the regional semifinal round Tuesday. The careers of the Harris twins — who have as yet no scholarship offers for college — may be over, too, at least in terms of them as players in organized basketball.

“I’m devastated for all our kids, especially the twins,” Sunset coach Eric Martinez said. “They worked so hard, and they took it away from us for no reason. Our team never got sick.”

Martinez and others in the Sunset contingent believe the Knights players should be allowed to play since more than 48 hours passed from Friday night’s game and Monday, which is when LaSalle players started having symptoms.

“We’re deeply heartbroken,” said Aimee Siegel-Harris, mother of the twins. “To have our season cancelled because someone on another team tested positive makes no sense to me.

“[Playing in the regional playoffs was] a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity. Sports is the one thing that has lifted our spirits [during the pandemic].”

LaSalle, meanwhile, was also forced out of the playoffs. The Royals (5-12) were supposed to play North Miami Beach in another regional quarterfinal on Thursday, but those COVID cases ended LaSalle’s season.

“It was tough timing,” LaSalle coach Derrick De La Grana said. “We haven’t had any problems with our players and COVID all season. Eight of our 12 players did school virtually this year, which lessened the contact.

“But we played three games in four days at the district tournament.”

All that contact at the tournament could have caused the positive test, ending the high school careers of four LaSalle seniors: Emilio Ramirez, Wael Harb and the twins, Michael and Anthony Yero.

De La Grana said it is likely that, of those four, only Ramirez will have his playing career extended into college. Ramirez, who averaged 25.0 points this season, is getting recruiting interest from NAIA and Division III schools.

As for a possible playoff run that was denied by COVID, De La Grana said it was a shame the LaSalle season ended so abruptly.

“Our kids were confident,” he said. “I believe we had turned a corner with how well we played in the district tournament.

“But our administration is very [strict] with the protocol. Both my assistant coaches have pregnant wives. For us, it was about taking care of the kids and the staff.”

This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 8:49 AM.