DUNCANVILLE, Texas — On the eve of the girls' high school basketball playoffs, there's an unfamiliar air of uncertainty surrounding at state powerhouse Duncanville.
The UIL, the state's governing body for high school sports has ordered Duncanville ISD to investigate possible recruiting violations surrounding a player that transferred into the district to play basketball under head coach Cathy Self-Morgan.
"There will be a thorough investigation of Coach [Self-Morgan]," said UIL executive committee chairman Mike Motheral.
The reason the UIL called for the probe is complicated. Another UIL investigation, determining the eligibility of former Duncanville player Hannah Gusters who transferred to MacArthur High school, brought up evidence that raised concerns.
At a hearing last Wednesday, Gusters was denied her appeal to gain immediate eligibility after transferring. There were text message exchanges included in the evidence packets that were brought forth during that investigation that have raised questions about the recruitment of Duncanville guard Deja Kelly, who moved in from San Antonio.
"It is to be real. The report is to be thorough," said Motheral at the hearing. "And if there are findings we're going to have an expectation that you folks are first going to take care of some issues."
In an appearance on the High School Sports Special Sunday, before the allegations became public, Self-Morgan laid out the blueprint for postseason success.
"We continue to face any adversity that comes our way and pull up our pants and go hard and get after it," she said.
Duncanville owns 10 state titles, the Pantherettes one of the state's premier programs, but will all that tradition and hardware be tarnished?
WFAA Sports reached out to Duncanville ISD and they confirmed the investigation is underway but had no further comment.
They've got 30 days to finish it. Hanging in the balance, a chance to prove this is not another example of the ugly underbelly of Texas high school sports.