THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604140185
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVE ADDIS AND STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
Norfolk police expect to release details soon of a month-long investigation into allegations that gamblers tried to influence the outcome of high school basketball games in Norfolk.
A police spokesman declined last week to characterize the status of the investigation.
``At this time we're not ready to do an update on it,'' said Officer Larry Hill. A report on the inquiry would be released ``before too long,'' Hill said.
City school officials asked for help from the police in early March after rumors circulated that gamblers tried to fix a Feb. 27 regional high school playoff game between Maury and Green Run. Maury, 23-0 entering the game, lost in double overtime to Green Run, the Beach District runner-up.
When the investigation became public, Shaun Jackson, a former Maury player who attends junior college, said in an interview that gamblers on several occasions had approached Norfolk high school players during the 1994-95 season to encourage them to miss shots or otherwise affect the outcome of games. He said none of the players cooperated.
Further discomfiting to school officials were rumors that money bet on games might have been connected to the region's drug trade.
Jack Baker, Maury's basketball coach, said he was eager to learn what the police had found so he and his players can put the episode behind them.
``We haven't heard one word,'' Baker said. ``I would like to know what's going on. I'd like to know if there's any basis for the allegations. I never thought there was, but there's a doubt in people's minds until they find out what, if anything, they found.'' MEMO: Main story on page C1. by CNB