Duncanville Basketball Star Anthony Black Stays Positive Despite Ongoing Legal Battle Over Eligibility

DUNCANVILLE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Duncanville's Anthony Black is the only one of the top 20 seniors in the nation who has not declared his college choice. The bigger question that keeps coming his way is whether he get to finish his high school career on the court.

Anthony, a Duncanville senior, said, "It's a little tiring but it's not too bad. Everybody deserves to know what's going on." An ongoing legal battle between Anthony, his family, and the UIL over whether he transferred from Coppell to Duncanville for purely athletic reasons .saw him start this season in street clothes.

His mother, Jennifer Black, said, "I remember thinking this isn't how it's supposed to be. He's done nothing wrong. Our family's done nothing wrong."

And by family, Jennifer means herself, Anthony and Duncanville head coach David Peavy, coach of the reigning back to back 6A state champs, whom Anthony calls his stepfather. They've lived together as a unit for three years, residing in Coppell before moving as a family to be near Duncanville.

Peavy explained, "That was something we've been discussing, moving closer to where I work. Anthony did not need Duncanville and Duncanville did not need Anthony."

Jennifer added, "He didn't decide to move to Duncanville. He's 17. I don't want him to hurt. I'm just tired of seeing him hurt." Peavy added, "Not just because this is our kid. It's one of my players. All these kids are my kids. It's kids in general who need someone to fight for them because this is wrong."

Legal actions put Anthony back on the court for a few games and then took him back off, only for the court system to once again clear him to play when it was late in the fourth quarter of a holiday tournament championship game. Anthony said, "I didn't know if they were telling me you can play right now or going forward you can play."

Fortunately, Anthony's uniform was in the locker room. His sneakers were a different story. "I was not trying to play in my brand new off the court shoes. We didn't find any shoes, so I had to play in those," he said with a laugh.

What's no laughing matter is that the next ruling could come down in early February. To assure the rest of his team is not denied the playoffs, Peavy is strategically sitting and playing Anthony. If the ruling goes against them, the games Anthony has played in would retroactively become forfeits.

Still, Anthony is focused on the bright side. "Look at the positives. I can still practice work out. I can still be with the team."

For Anthony, it's not a situation he could've anticipated, but as long as he's surrounded by the people he loves and the people who love him, nothing is too big to overcome.

His mother said, "Are we doing the right thing? Should we have just sent him to a prep school? And then I talk to Anthony, and we are doing the right thing. We have to fight. We have to stand up for what we believe is right."

Peavy added, "Going through what he's gone through, I can promise you he's handled this way better than we have."

Anthony concluded, "Even if I can't play, I'll still get to play after high school. So I have to look at it as a blessing, that it's not worse than what it is."