Boys’ basketball: Keala King’s possible transfer under scrutiny

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Former Compton Dominguez standout Keala King’s attempt to transfer to Santa Ana Mater Dei will require an explanation about the circumstances that preceded the move, Southern Section Commissioner James Staunton told The Times last week.

Staunton is concerned about how King came to register at Mater Dei -- as Monarchs Coach Gary McKnight previously said -- while playing with Mater Dei starting point guard Gary Franklin Jr. and being coached by Gary Franklin Sr. on the California Supreme club team, which won its game against D.C. Assault here today.

After the victory, the elder Franklin said he has not directed King to Mater Dei, which would keep King ineligible to play as a senior.

‘I have nothing to say, nothing to explain to anyone,’ Franklin Sr. said. ‘Guys pick and choose where they want to go. I had nothing to do with it. I just coach my team and make sure my guys are big on the national scene.’

King said where he’ll play as a senior ‘is up to my mom,’ acknowledging his old team at Dominguez is ‘troubled,’ having just replaced interim Coach Duane Cooper with a middle school teacher.

‘I guess I could still end up staying, because I don’t want to mess anything up for CIF,’ King said.

Of the questions Staunton said the Kings and Franklins will have to answer about King’s possibly being steered to Mater Dei, King said, ‘I don’t think it’s true. I haven’t talked to Sr. or Jr. about it.’

-- Lance Pugmire in Las Vegas