Richard Obert

azcentral sports

Former Tempe Corona del Sol and Phoenix Hillcrest basketball player Marvin Bagley III was ruled ineligible to play this season at Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon on Tuesday by the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Southern Section spokesman Thom Simmons told the newspaper that the decision was based on Bagley's move being athletically motivated.

Marvin Bagley Jr., did not immediately return messages.

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Bagley, a 6-foot-11 sophomore who is rated by ESPN as the No.1 2018 prospect in the country, was azcentral sports' Big Schools Player of the Year as a freshman last season at Tempe Corona del Sol, where he led the Aztecs to a 34-1 record and a fourth consecutive Division I championship. Corona del Sol's only loss last year came against Sierra Canyon, a one-point setback at Hoophall West, in which Bagley had 20 points.

Sierra Canyon went on to win a championship in California.

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Bagley left Corona del Sol in August to join the new prep academy in Phoenix, Hillcrest, which is currently led by 7-1 junior DeAndre Ayton, considered the top 2017 player in the nation.

Bagley left Hillcrest in November, after the NCAA came to Starshine Academy, looking into where Hillcrest was housed and the academics the players had.

Marvin Bagley III, brother Marcus leaving Hillcrest Prep

The NCAA Eligibility Center has since listed Starshine Academy's core curriculum doesn't meet NCAA standards. But Hillcrest director Matt Allen moved all of the high school players' academics to Arizona Connections Academy in Gilbert, an online public school that is NCAA accredited.

Allen said last week that he cooperated with the CIF on the paperwork for Bagley and hoped that he would be allowed to play at Sierra Canyon.

"I filled out paperwork for the CIF, like I do with the AIA (Arizona Interscholastic Association)," Allen said last Friday. "We're not tying to harm the kid. I filled it out good. I hope he can play. We're not trying to hold the kid back."

Bagley will be able to appeal the ruling.

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Reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-460-1710. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert.

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