The Illinois High School Association lifted its suspension and allowed Kenwood boys to participate in the state basketball playoffs tonight, but several players and coaches were removed from the team. 

According to a Thursday evening release from the IHSA, the association suspended Kenwood boys from the 2024 state series yesterday over a discovery that several players violated residency requirements to attend the school. Kenwood Academy appealed the decision to the IHSA’s board of directors that afternoon, who postponed the Broncos regional basketball game, scheduled for that evening, so the school could make its case. 

On Feb. 22, the IHSA ruled Kenwood could participate in the playoffs, but five student-athletes, the head coach, Mike Irvin, and two assistant coaches will not be eligible to participate due to the IHSA violations. 

According to the IHSA, that ruling was then appealed via a Temporary Restraining Order request in Cook County Circuit Court at 3:30 p.m, where the judge ruled in favor of the IHSA. 

The Class 4A regional semifinal game against Morton High School was rescheduled for 6 p.m. on Feb. 22. 

“This is a very unfortunate situation, and we take no solace in delivering a ruling like this,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “It is the job of the IHSA to enforce the rules its member schools have put into place in order to provide equity for all of the high schools competing in IHSA State Series tournaments.”

In the release, an IHSA spokesperson said that allegations that several student-athletes were ineligible to enroll at Kenwood has been the subject of an ongoing Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Office of the Inspector General (OIF) investigation. 

On Jan. 25, the OIG presented evidence and documents from its investigation to the IHSA. 

“The CPS OIG investigation provided evidence that multiple current student-athletes on the Kenwood Academy varsity boys basketball team used falsified items (such as utility bills) in order to meet the residence requirements to attend Kenwood Academy,” reads the release. “Others provided home addresses that were inaccurate to meet the residence requirements to attend Kenwood Academy.”

After convening with Kenwood Academy officials and CPS administrators, the IHSA conducted its own investigation. The state association presented evidence from its investigation to Kenwood Academy administrators on Feb. 12.

“The school had not refuted any of the evidence obtained by the CPS Office of the Inspector General or the IHSA,” the release reads.

Administrators from Kenwood Academy could not be reached as of press time.

The story is developing.