The NCAA is facing another point-shaving scandal.
Former Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller sat for a long interview with the NCAA as it looked into concerns about unusual gambling activity, his lawyer said Friday amid reports a federal probe is now under way.
‘Hysier Miller fully cooperated with the NCAA’s investigation. He sat for a five-hour interview and answered every question the NCAA asked. He also produced every document the NCAA requested,’ lawyer Jason Bologna said in a statement. ‘Hysier did these things because he wanted to play basketball this season, and he is devastated that he cannot.’
Miller, a three-year starter from South Philadelphia, transferred to Virginia Tech this spring. However, the Hokies released him last month due to what the program called ‘circumstances prior to his enrollment at Virginia Tech.’
Bologna declined to confirm that a federal investigation had been opened, as did spokespeople for both the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia. ESPN, citing unnamed sources, reported Thursday that authorities were investigating whether Miller bet on games he played in at Temple, and whether he adjusted his performance accordingly.
Former Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller sat for a long interview with the NCAA
‘Hysier Miller has overcome more adversity in his 22 years than most people face in their lifetime. He will meet and overcome whatever obstacles lay ahead,’ Bologna said.
Point shaving is a form of match fixing that relies on impacting the score to influence various bets. Typically, in basketball, gamblers will approach a player on a favored team to offer cash in exchange for cooperation.
A cooperating player will then be asked to ensure their team will be unable to cover the spread.
In the 1950s, a number of players were banned from the NBA because of point-shaving allegations tied to their college days and the 1980s-90s saw a handful, including Chris Washburn and Roy Tarpley, over substance abuse allegations.
Boston College players were also accused of point shaving in 1978-79 in a scheme concocted by gangsters Henry Hill and Jimmy Burke, who would later become immortalized in film Goodfellas.
More recently, in the NBA, Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter got a lifetime ban for suspicious betting activity. A league probe centered on Porter’s performance in games January 26 and March 20. In both games, Porter played briefly before leaving citing injury or illness, leaving him well short of hitting prop-wager lines for points, rebounds and 3-pointers.
Now Miller faces similar allegations after scoring just eight points – about half his season average of 15.9 – in a 100-72 loss to UAB on March 7 that was later flagged for unusual betting activity.
Henry Hill, the mobster-turned-FBI informant, was involved in a point-shaving scheme in the late 70s after bribing Boston College players, Sports Illustrated reported at the time
Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter got a lifetime ban for suspicious betting activity
Temple said it has been aware of those allegations since they became public in March, and has been cooperative.
‘We have been fully responsive and cooperative with the NCAA since the moment we learned of the investigation,’ Temple President John Fry said in a letter Thursday to the school community.
However, Fry said Temple had not received any requests for information from state or federal law enforcement agencies. He vowed to cooperate fully if they did.
‘Coaches, student-athletes and staff members receive mandatory training on NCAA rules and regulations, including prohibitions on involvement in sports wagering,’ Fry said in the letter.
The same week the Temple-UAB game raised concerns, Loyola (Maryland) said it had removed a person from its basketball program after it became aware of a gambling violation.
Temple played UAB again on March 17, losing 85-69 in the finals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. League spokesman Tom Fenstermaker also declined comment on Friday.
