The Palo Alto High School boys’ basketball team’s season ended unexpectedly this morning as the Central Coast Section (CCS) forced the team to forfeit 15 games and their playoff hopes due to the ineligibility of one of its players.

All the Paly boys’ basketball players and their parents were summoned to a meeting at 10:00 a.m. today in the Paly gym where Principal Jacqueline McEvoy, athletic director Earl Hansen, and head coach Peter Diepenbrock broke the news to the team.

“The team is devastated,” coach Diepenbrock said. “Coming off our best game of the year to have this happen is devastating.”

As a result of the forfeitures, the team’s 2007-2008 record changes from 17-8 to a final record of 6-19 through mid-February.

CCS officials were notified after the Paly administration uncovered a discrepancy in the transcript of senior forward Ed Hall. After investigating, CCS determined that Hall, who transferred from Australia at the beginning of this year, was ineligible for CCS athletics under CIF Bylaw Article 20:204, because he had already completed eight semesters of high school.

According to a press release issued by Principal McEvoy , “High school students in California are granted 8 semesters of eligibility under CIF Bylaw Article 20: 204. The student in question began high school in 2004 and completed his eighth semester of high school in Australia in October, 2007.”

McEvoy originally called CCS with the concern about Hall’s eligibility at the end of the first semester, and Hall was suspended from playing in any basketball games until the issue was resolved.

The games that Hall did not play in, including both of Paly’s wins over Gunn, will not be forfeited.

“We’re all devastated,” senior guard Mike Scott said. “We feel bad for [Ed], we’re trying to keep his head up.”

CCS commissioner, Nancy Lazenby Blaser, led the investigation along with an expert on Australian school systems.

“I was the happiest guy alive, after we won the Gunn game I was thinking we were going to be a 3rd seed going into the playoffs,” junior guard Nick Robinson said. “Then I go into a meeting today with my parents and see the Principal [McEvoy] and Hansen and Diep they sit here and tell us, basically, our season is over.”