Yahoo Movies Charity basketball game canceled with Kentucky high school stars unable to play
With the event’s two biggest local connections barred from playing due to a KHSAA rule, the Midwest Charity Classic all-star high school basketball game has been canceled.
The event — which was to be a nationally televised game hosted by ESPN college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg on Aug. 27 at Frederick Douglass High School in Lexington — featured a highly touted list of high school stars committed to playing in the event.
Funds raised from the event were to go toward Eastern Kentucky flood-relief efforts.
On Wednesday morning, the KHSAA announced through statements released on social media that two Kentucky-based players who pledged to play in the game — class of 2023 UK commit Reed Sheppard (North Laurel) and class of 2024 guard Travis Perry (Lyon County) — would not be able to play in the event.
With Sheppard and Perry unable to participate, the Midwest Charity Classic has been canceled, Sheppard’s father, former UK men’s basketball player Jeff Sheppard, told WLEX-18.
In a text message to the Herald-Leader, Jeff Sheppard said “as far as I know, it’s canceled.”
BREAKING: Jeff Sheppard, father of UK commit Reed Sheppard, says he was told Midwest Charity Classic has been CANCELED after KHSAA refused to give waivers allowing KY players to play in game. Event was supposed to raise money for EKY flood victims. @LEX18News
— Mike Valente (@ValenteLEX18) August 18, 2022
Dating back decades, the bylaw preventing Sheppard and Perry from playing in the game restricts high school basketball participants from playing in certain outside competitions during the school year, prior to the end of their competitive seasons.
The bylaw prevents Kentucky high school students who have enrolled in the ninth grade, have played basketball at a school at any level and have eligibility remaining in basketball from participating on any non-school sponsored basketball team or in any all-star game from the first day of the school year onward, among other restrictions.
These restrictions end following a high school team’s final game of the season.
Organizer just texted me this: “Due to the circumstances surrounding Bylaw 9 the Midwest Charity Classic has been canceled. Refunds have been issued to all ticket purchasers. We thank everyone for their support of the event.” @LEX18News
— Mike Valente (@ValenteLEX18) August 18, 2022
In September 2021, a proposal to amend this bylaw by removing several of these restrictions and changing the time frame of their enforcement overwhelmingly failed during the KHSAA’s annual meeting of member schools.
“When you have a rule that you can summarily make exceptions to, the rule by its very face becomes arbitrary and capricious,” KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett told WLEX-18. “And you no longer have a rule. That’s what the courts have found. You cannot be arbitrary.”
