I’m admitting right here that the Burrell twins, Kayli and Kamille, went all the way through high school without me being able to tell them apart … unless it was by a number on the back of a basketball jersey.
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Apparently, even that method of identification isn’t good enough for some people.
Case in point. Dora High School took on Licking last Saturday night during action in the Cabool Boys Holiday Tournament championship game. Dora, located in Ozark County, extreme south-central Missouri, had triplets playing on its boys’ team, all sons of Head Coach and High School Principal Rick Luna.
The Springfield News-Leader tells this tale of “misdirection.”
Game video showed No. 34 for Dora, Austin Luna, being fouled in the corner. He walks to the free throw line where he is met by one of his triplet brothers, Bryson Luna. Austin then walks to the sideline to talk to his father and coach while his brother Bryson stays at the free throw line.
The article fails to say whether brother Bryson hit his free throws, but Dora went on to win the game, 64-62. No one noticed the switch when it happened but it was caught when video was watched after the game. A parent of a Licking player was allegedly told by a referee in the crowd that the switch could have happened at least four different times during the game. The parent told the News-Leader that parents from teams Dora has played earlier in the season have said that Dora may have pulled the same stunt during their games.
According to Ozark Sports Zone, a second video from the game shows Austin Luna, fouled again, walks to a huddle of teammates at the top of the key, where he hands the ball to brother, Mason Luna. Mason gives the ball to the referee and takes the free throw line as Austin heads to the bench.
Video of the incident was sent to the Missouri State High School Activities Association, where it is currently under investigation. Because the game has already been played, the decision stands. Had the incident been addressed when it happened, a technical foul would have been called. Coach Luna allegedly maintained that he knew nothing of the switch at the time.
It would be easy to pass judgment after reading about this incident after the fact. It will be interesting to see what the reaction of the Dora Board of Education will be when the smoke clears.
You can watch part of the “switcharoo” on the Springfield News-Leader website.