Tom Allen picked up the phone on the second day of school last week at Canarsie. On the other end was a coach from Boston University, one of many schools interested in Eugene Lawrence, a 6-2 guard who played for Allen for three years.
“I had to tell them that Eugene wasn’t at Canarsie anymore,” Allen said. “I told them I thought he was at Lincoln. The guy said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ “
But Allen’s sense of humor is hardly that warped. His star guard had transferred to the defending PSAL and state Federation champion Railsplitters, leaving Canarsie without its best player.
And while in years past new faces that popped up at certain programs throughout the city aroused suspicion, this one didn’t. Thanks to a new rule enacted by the Department of Education that allows students to attend any school they want to as long as the school lets them in regardless of where they live in the city- these types of maneuvers are expected to become more commonplace.
“These are the new rules,” said PSAL basketball commissioner Mel Goldstein. “I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of change. I’m very concerned. This is only the beginning.”
(p. 61 in metro)