Home school standout Trier denied hardship waiver to NOAH
BY Staff Reports
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Click here to see a video highlight of Allonzo Trier
One of the state’s top high school basketball players has been been denied in his request to play basketball at NOAH (Northeast Oklahoma Association of Homeschools) by the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships.
Allonzo Trier, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, ranked among the nation’s top freshmen last season, averaging 22.7 pionts per game while leading the OKC Storm to a 33-13 record and runner-up finish in the National Homeschool Tournament.
According to web reports, he has received numerous Division I scholarship offers, including those from Kansas, Texas and all four Oklahoma schools.
Trier moved to Tulsa this summer to follow his coaching mentor, former ORU basketball standout guard Jonathan Bluitt, and played for the Athletes First AAU team.
Meanwhile, he has been living with the family of Samuel Branch, a friend and NOAH player, and decided to transfer to play for the Jaguars.
According to the website hslive365.com, NOAH sought a hardship waiver from the NCHC rule that states an athlete must “live at home with his/her parent, legal guardian or legally responsible person (in the case of children or other family hardships) in order to be considered HomeSchooled.”
Another rule states: “A player must live within a 100-mile radius of the team’s practice facility.”
NOAH’s request was denied 23-4 by the NCHC’s eligibility advisory board. NOAH spokesman Chris Moody said he thought the decision was “fair.”
“We took it as far as we could take it. We understood the rule and we tried to make a case for Allonzo’s specific situation, and we were denied,” Moody said.
The NCHC administers the National tournament that NOAH and the Storm play in every year.
Bluitt was quoted by one website Monday as saying Trier intended to remain with NOAH. The Jaguars have the option of allowing him to play, but they would be denied the right to play in the national tournament.
“That is an option that has not been discussed. We haven't discussed any options,” Moody said.
