The Summerville 10U All-Star basketball team was disqualified from the District 5 Tournament prior to the championship game following a residency eligibility ruling, ending the team’s opportunity to compete for a district title and advance to state.

The protest was filed by Gordon County after its 38-20 loss to Summerville during tournament play. The ruling determined a Summerville player was ineligible based on confirmation of a 2022 lease at a Calhoun address and school records reflecting that same address.

GRPA officials stated the decision was based on confirmation of the lease agreement and school system documentation. During the investigation, a lease was reportedly viewed via FaceTime at an apartment manager’s office, though no physical copy was provided to Summerville officials.

Summerville Parks and Recreation Director Adam Wilson filed an appeal, submitting multiple forms of documentation to establish residency in Summerville, including a Georgia driver’s license, medical records, bank statements, and pay stubs listing a Summerville address. Officials noted that a lease is not a required document for recreation registration and that acceptable proof of residency was verified at the time of registration.

The player’s family stated they are in the process of relocating and have temporarily stayed in Gordon County due to employment circumstances, with the child attending school there because of a parent’s work location.

The District 5 ruling was upheld, removing Summerville from the tournament. Gordon County advanced to the championship game. As a result, the Summerville 10U team did not have the opportunity to compete for a district championship or advance to state competition.