Georgia Tech men's basketball team can return to postseason next year

AP photo by Gerry Broome / Georgia Tech men's basketball coach Josh Pastner argues with an official during an ACC matchup on Jan. 4 at North Carolina.
AP photo by Gerry Broome / Georgia Tech men's basketball coach Josh Pastner argues with an official during an ACC matchup on Jan. 4 at North Carolina.

ATLANTA - Georgia Tech athletic director Todd Stansbury said the school met the requirements of its men's basketball team's postseason ban as part of punishments from the NCAA, even though most of the postseason was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In an open letter to fans this week, Stansbury said he was recently informed the Yellow Jackets completed their mandated ban by formally removing themselves from the Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball tournament on March 2. Tech had already made that decision when it withdrew its appeal of the NCAA postseason ban.

In the letter, Stansbury wrote the school "recently received official confirmation from the NCAA Committee on Infractions that we met the conditions of the penalty by not participating in this year's ACC Tournament."

By accepting the ban this year, Tech will be eligible for all postseason tournaments in the 2020-2021 season.

"I am very happy for our student-athletes that we no longer have that cloud hanging over us and I am very excited for the future of our men's basketball program," Stansbury wrote.

Tech continues its appeal of limits on official visits connected with home games for two seasons and the reduction of one scholarship each of the next four years.

The NCAA ruled in September that major recruiting violations were committed by one of coach Josh Pastner's former assistants, Darryl LaBarrie, as well as by Ron Bell, a former friend of Pastner.

Pastner, who previously coached at Memphis, was not directly named in the NCAA's findings and was largely cleared in the school's investigation.

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