After The Colony High School basketball team forfeited its previous season, [video from WFAA] Legacy’s boy’s varsity basketball team was given the State Semi Finalist title and a banner to go in the gym.

“You really want to do it [earn the title] on the floor but when someone doesn’t play by the rules like you do, it is icing on the cake,” coach Marchie Murdock said.

The Colony was playing an athlete who was living in the district illegally according to UIL rules. He transferred from Dallas Lincoln High School and began living apart from his family. To do this, a person would have to get specific waivers before playing which he failed to have. Due to that, the team had to forfeit their 31-win season.

“It was a bizarre feeling to be recognized as a final four team,” coach Murdock said. “Our situation changed from a loss to a win without playing.”

As junior on the varsity team, senior Josh Doctson felt The Colony cheated Legacy. Doctson feels incomplete about the season. Chad McNiel played on the varsity team and now attends Texas Tech.

“I was very shocked when I found out there whole season got cancelled, and it really made me feel bad to know that our season got crushed by a team that had an illegal player,” McNiel said. “We put in so much hard work for some team to break the rules and end up beating us.”

According to Coach Murdock, the team’s goal every year is to win the state championship. However they always start with small objectives like district.

“The feeling that we had last year that our whole community supported us at every game is motivation enough to generate that community feeling again, everywhere we traveled it seems as though the community went with us and they showed that they love Legacy as much as we do,” coach Murdock said. “We want them on the wagon trail following the Broncos again, that is the best motivation to make your school and community proud.”