Boys basketball: Laguna Beach basketball star’s eligibility

questioned

Barry Faulkner

Questions surrounding the eligibility of Laguna Beach High

6-foot-10 senior center Chris Manker prompted the school to hold him out

of Friday night’s nonleague boys basketball game at Laguna Hills.

A continuing CIF Southern Section inquiry into whether Manker has

established “a bona fide change of residence” in Laguna Beach with his

father Steve, will determine his future status with the team.

The Division I college prospect is averaging 20 points and 12.5 rebounds

per game.

“At this point, all I can say is, he won’t play tonight,” Hal Harkness,

the section’s interim administrator for basketball, said Friday

afternoon.

Steve Manker said Friday he has lived with his son in Laguna Beach since

they moved from Des Moines, Iowa, in December.

Rival Pacific Coast League administrators are concerned, however, that

the family has maintained a home in Iowa, where Cindy Manker, Chris’

mother, still resides.

If section administrators rule Chris Manker ineligible, the Artists,

ranked No. 9 in CIF Division IV-AA and currently in first place in the

PCL, would forfeit eight victories in which he played. Among those are

PCL triumphs over Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa and Estancia.

Neither Harkness nor Steve Manker said they knew when the matter would be

resolved.

Laguna Beach Athletic Director Jonathan Todd declined comment, other than

to confirm Manker would not play Friday.

Laguna Beach Principal Stuart Sims and Coach Bret Fleming did not return

phone messages left at school Friday afternoon.

Costa Mesa boys athletic director Kirk Bauermeister said Laguna Beach was

made aware of questions about Manker’s eligibility at a Jan. 4 meeting of

league athletic directors.

Similar concerns were raised at a league meeting Tuesday, attended by

principals and athletic directors from the five league schools.

“(Sims) admitted at Tuesday’s meeting that there is dual residency, which

is against CIF rules,” Bauermeister said.

Southern Section bylaw 219, titled “Anticipated residence change” states

that any athlete transferring to another school is eligible only when,

and not until, the parent, guardian or caregiver they live with

“completes a bona fide change of residence to that school’s attendance

area.”

The bylaw defines a bona fide change of residence as “the location where

the student’s parent(s), guardian(s) or caregiver(s) -- with whom

eligibility has been established -- live with that student and thereby

have the use and enjoyment of that location. (Said adult) may only have

one bona fide residence at one time.”

Proof that a bona fide change of residence has occurred may include:

Telephone and utility service operated at the student’s new residence and

terminated at the former residence; vehicle or voter registration listing

the new address; court or real estate documents verifying the change

(e.g. sale and purchase); and other documentation a section or school

district may require that establishes a person is living at the new

address.”

Manker had 31 points and 11 rebounds Wednesday in the Artists’ 75-52 home

win over Costa Mesa, which propelled them ahead of the Mustangs into the

league top spot.

Laguna Beach’s next game is Friday at 7 p.m., against visiting Corona del

Mar.