With ban lifted, Wooddale can now focus on playing

The remainder of Chandler Lawson's senior season was nearly snatched away from him in the waning moments of a double-digit victory.

What started as two players throwing the ball at each other escalated into a fight that left both teams with two-year postseason bans.

But after Shelby County Schools appealed the ruling, TSSAA lifted Wooddale's ban on Friday, clearing the Cardinals to play in the postseason.

"I knew we were going to get it because we didn’t fight," Lawson said. "The crowd got into it, and we just prayed on it and knew that God had our back."

Securing a special meeting was the most worrisome part for Lawson's father, Wooddale coach Keelon Lawson. He was confident that he had done all he could to keep his players out of the melee. "We know what we did trying to keep our players from running off the bench, so I just talked to them (the players) and told them that whatever judgment they (TSSAA) came back with, we have to bear witness," Keelon said.

Wooddale coaches corralled their players when the fight broke out, pulling them into the cafeteria at Melrose, site of the game. That kept them away from everything happening on the court.

Wooddale (24-3) was the only one of three Shelby County Schools banned from the postseason for fighting on Jan. 25 to get its ban removed.

Fairley, a Greendot school, will have a special-called Board of Control meeting on Wednesday to appeal its postseason suspension.

"We were in the locker room just waiting, and it was either going to be good news or bad news, and we were just going to deal with it, and it was good

news," Chandler said.

The Cardinals are still on probation for the next two years. A $3,500 fine placed on the program was reduced to $1,500.

But for now they're focused on making the most of their newly regained eligibility.

“It’s a blessing to get another chance to play basketball again. I thought my season would’ve been over, but God made a blessing," Chandler said.

Now the 6-foot-8 Oregon signee can focus on chasing a fourth state title. He won three consecutive state championships playing for Penny Hardaway at East before transferring to Oak Hill, a prep basketball powerhouse in Virginia. He returned to Memphis to play for his dad after he was named Wooddale's coach.

Chandler was more of a role player on those teams, but now he has the opportunity to win a title at Wooddale as the go-to option.

"The past three years, he's just been part of the supporting cast, and now this is his team," Keelon said. "I don’t need you to be the supporting cast. I need you to come out and lead the way. I think he’s doing a great job."