Ohio Supreme Court Halts Eligibility Crisis
The Ohio Supreme Court filed an order that will keep players involved in an eligibility case available to play as the college basketball season approaches. The Ohio Supreme Court filed an order that keeps two dozen players fully eligible to take the court as the season tips off.
The high court’s decision preserves an earlier ruling from this month that successfully stayed a lower-court judgment. Without that intervention, those players would have been stripped of their eligibility right as teams finalized their rotations for the upcoming campaign.
Federal Lawsuit Puts Stars in the Crosshairs
At the center of the dispute is a federal legal battle involving the NCAA as the defendant. Xavier, which opens its season on Monday, features lead plaintiff Filip Borovicanin in the case.
Other prominent athletes caught in the eligibility crosshairs include Javon Bennett of Gonzaga, MJ Collins of Cincinnati, and Kolby King of Auburn.
Governor DeWine’s Executive Order Sparks Clash
The state supreme court stepped into the fray to evaluate the legality of an executive order issued by Ohio Mike DeWine. That order granted a fifth year of college eligibility specifically to athletes who graduated from high school in 2022, directly defying NCAA rules.
The friction intensified when both legal parties asked the state court to weigh in directly on the Borovicanin case. In response, the NCAA hauled Governor DeWine into federal court, arguing that his executive order created an uneven playing field where not all schools could fairly compete.
NCAA Rule Excludes Class of 2022
Earlier this year, the NCAA adopted a broader rule granting players five seasons of eligibility. However, that policy conspicuously excluded the high school class of 2022.
That exclusion sparked a wave of lawsuits nationwide, throwing athletic departments and coaches into scheduling chaos.
