Can Nash Get Waiver From 100-Mile Rule

TEANCEK, NEW JERSEY -- Bobby Nash, a 6-6, 195 pound shooting guard/swingman from Iolani H.S. in Iolani, Hawaii, earlier this week told Russ Blake that he wasn't sure who he would be playing for the rest of this July recruiting period because of the "100 mile" rule. The rule states:

"... participants on nonscholastic teams must reside either within the state in which the team is located or within 100 miles of the team if the participant is not a resident of the same state."Nash (who listed West Virginia, Hawaii, Loyola Marymount, Princeton and Pepperdine as schools that are recruiting him) and other affected players know that in order to get adequately considered by Division I schools, they need to play with and against top competition.

There is some good news on the horizon, maybe. The NCAA on Monday advised the court in Ernie Henkel and Tyler Koenig case filed in federal court in Philadelphia that players can request a waiver through the basketball issues committee. A notice was placed on the NCAA website that, after wading through the stitled language, that:

The Division I Basketball Issues Committee Men’s Subcommittee may submit such requests on behalf of prospective student-athletes who believe they should not be subject to Bylaw 30.16(l) (e.g., no nonscholastic team exists within the state in which the prospective student-athlete resides). Such prospective student-athletes must submit written documentation outlining the circumstances that they believe justify a waiver and all other relevant information supporting their arguments and assertions to the staff liaison to the Division I Basketball Issues Committee Men’s Subcommittee at the following address:

Jan R. Gentry

NCAA Coordinator of Basketball Certification

P. O. Box 6222

Indianapolis, IN 46206

e-mail: jgentry@ncaa.org

fax: 317/917-6989The NCAA has told the court that that upon receipt of complete information they will provide a decision within five business days.

So Nash (and other kids) may actually be able to play with Darren Matsubara's EBO traveling squad this summer, if the NCAA approves the waiver before this year's recruiting season ends, and the club/AAU team has a space on the roster. Course, today is July 11th...