Dr. Henry Wise High (Maryland) Forced To Forfeit Its Entire Boys Basketball Season

Pumas played the entire 2024-25 season with an ineligible player, will miss the County championship game but are still eligible for state playoffs

The Wise Pumas have been forced to forfeit their entire 2024-25 boys basketball regular season after being found to have used an ineligible player by Prince George's County Public Schools. Wise was also removed from Wednesday's County championship game, but will remain eligible for the Maryland Class 4A state playoffs. / Hussey Seating Company

Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) announced, on Tuesday evening, that the Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School boys basketball team will forfeit its entire 2024-25 regular season because of a violation of PGCPS andMaryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) rules and regulations.

The Pumas, who are ranked No. 23 in this week's Top 25 High School On SI Maryland Boys Basketball State Rankings, were 17-5 and scheduled to play on the PG County championship game on Wednesday evening.

In announcing it's decision, Prince George's County Public Schools stated the following:

"The Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School boys basketball team will forfeit the entire season due to a violation of the PGCPS and Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) rules and regulations. The school’s athletic department is collaborating with other schools to adjust the upcoming game schedule accordingly.

"We recognize the impact this decision may have on our players, families, and community. However, maintaining the integrity of our program is our top priority, and we fully accept responsibility for this oversight. We are dedicated to ensuring that all future participation complies with PGCPS and MPSSAA regulations.

"We are taking immediate steps to address this issue and strengthen our processes to prevent similar situations in the future."

The announcement came just one day before Wise was slated to play Largo, which is led by Michigan State signee Cam Ward, in the PG County championship game. Instead, Laurel will replace Wise in the championship game which will be played at Oxon Hill High School. The Pumas, however, remain eligible to compete in the MPSSAA State Playoffs, which are schedule to get underway on Friday. Original slated to be top seed in Class 4A, the Pumas, once 17-5 but now 0-22, will drop to the No. 6 seed in the Class 4A South II Region and will go on the road to face Eleanor Roosevelt, a team with which it split two meetings this year.

There are rumors circulating that Wise coach Louis Wilson will be suspended for the rest of the season, but High School On SI has not yet been able to confirm these reports at this time.

Following the announcement of the forfeits, Wilson did speak to WUSA9 News in Washington, D.C.

According to the report, Wilson said the Pumas had been accused of using an ineligible player and claimed, the player in question had been "vetted through the athletic department" at the start of the season.