High School

National power, Texas 6A state championship contender Mansfield Lake Ridge forfeits, booted over ineligible player

Team self-reported ineligible player to UIL, forced to forfeit Tuesday's game

Levi Payton

Texas 6A power Mansfield Lake Ridge on Tuesday accepted a forfeit after self-reporting it had used an ineligible player in its 71-35 area championship win against El Paso Eastlake on Feb. 21.
Texas 6A power Mansfield Lake Ridge on Tuesday accepted a forfeit after self-reporting it had used an ineligible player in its 71-35 area championship win against El Paso Eastlake on Feb. 21. / Photo courtesy of Lake Ridge boys basketball social media

The Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) boys 6A Division I state basketball tournament suffered a big shakeup Tuesday morning.

The official score reads Flower Mound Marcus 0, Mansfield Lake Ridge 0, but looks can be a bit deceiving.

In a shocking bit of news, and to their credit, the Lake Ridge boys basketball team on Tuesday morning reportedly learned it had used an ineligible player during its area championship game on Friday, Feb. 21 - a 71-35 win over El Paso Eastlake.

Now, that result has been tossed out, and so is Lake Ridge from this year's state playoff. Eastlake (28-10), however, was not allowed back into the tournament, thus allowing No. 15 Marcus (28-8) to advance with an essential bye straight into Friday's regional final against 33-1 Allen - High School on SI's No. 2 boys team in the state of Texas and No. 20 overall nationally - at Hebron High School.

Both Mansfield ISD and UIL released statements confirming the events to WFAA.com, but neither specifically mentioned the player or what triggered the violation. It also remains unknown how Lake Ridge became aware of the violation.

One of the best high school boys basketball teams in the country, Lake Ridge entered Tuesday ranked No. 4 in the state by High School on SI and No. 22 overall in the country by MaxPreps.

"UIL can confirm that Mansfield ISD self-reported the participation of an ineligible player in the area playoff game against El Paso Eastlake that took place on Friday, February 21," UIL said in its statement to WFAA.com. "Per the UIL Constitution & Contest Rules, the minimum penalty for this violation is forfeiture of the game. As a result of the forfeiture, the Mansfield Lake Ridge boys basketball team has withdrawn from the UIL state basketball playoffs."

In its statement to WFAA.com, Mansfield ISD said it elected the punishment.

“Per the UIL Constitution and Contest rules, the minimum requirement is to forfeit that game and withdraw from playoff competition," its statement said. "In cooperation with the UIL, that is what MISD has elected to do.

"Mansfield ISD and its Athletics Department values and strives to uphold all UIL rules and regulations and regrets the impact of this situation on our student athletes, their families, and the community.”

Sporting a deep roster this season, the Eagles were led by 6-foot-8 senior Eze Nwakamma, who averaged 15 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, and 6-3 senior guard Shaqir Pack (10.7 points, 3.9 boards in 35 games).

Sporting a versatile and deep roster, 15 players saw varsity action for the Eagles this season, according to MaxPreps, with all but one player logging at least nine games of action. The only player with less time on the court was junior Felix Ojo - a four-star offensive lineman per 247Sports and one of the most sough-after 2026 high school football recruits in Texas who saw action in two games.

Texas UIL boys state basketball 1A-6A regional semifinal playoff scoreboard, updates (02/24/2025 - 02/27/2025)

UPDATED: Texas UIL high school boys basketball Class 1A-6A Area playoff scoreboard, updates 02/20/2025 - 02/22/2025

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

Levi’s sports journalism career began in 2005. A Missouri native, he’s won multiple Press Association awards for feature writing and has served as a writer and editor covering high school sports as well as working beats in professional baseball, NCAA football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you have a good story, he’d love to tell it.

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