By: Anthony Garzilli
Hardeeville Today

Ridgeland High varsity girls’ basketball coach Frederick Toomer’s indefinite suspension has been lifted. Hardeeville High varsity girls’ basketball coach Greg Cox’s suspension remains indefinite through the holiday period, according to Jasper County School District interim superintendent John Taylor.

The coaches were suspended Dec. 8, following a verbal altercation during a Dec. 4 basketball game between the two teams.

Taylor viewed the entire game video – supplied by the city of Hardeeville -, discussed the situation with the South Carolina High School League, and conducted private interviews with both Cox and Toomer.

The decision to reinstate Toomer, but not Cox has outraged some parents and supporters of the Hardeeville High basketball team.

A group of about 25 people gathered Monday morning outside the Hardeeville Community Library. They later moved to the bleachers behind City Hall.
One cheerleader held a sign that read: “Strong as an ox, we need Coach Cox.”

Rose Grant, president of the team’s booster club, said it’s vital for the seniors on the team to have Cox’s leadership.

“They’re seniors and they’re looking for scholarships and at this point they don’t feel like they will make it,” she said.

Cox, dressed in a green and orange Hardeeville High warm-up suit, joined the crowd at the library.

“I want to know why my suspension continues, when the other coach’s has not and he’s the one who was the instigator,” Cox said. “Coach Toomer came toward me yelling. My only remark to him was something like, ‘Are you talking to me,’ and I stepped toward him to meet him.”

Senior Shantireya Rivers had this to say about Cox’s suspension, “It’s ridiculous. We just want know what the outcome it going to be.”

Taylor said Cox’s suspension remains indefinite because he doesn’t “think the issue is completely resolved.”
Cox received two technical fouls and was ejected from the Dec. 4 contest. His SCHSL one-game suspension for being ejected will be served during the first game of the Hurricanes’ tournament at Colleton Prep, Dec. 28-30. Hardeeville plays Daniel High in the first round on Dec. 28.

Toomer will resume coaching his team following this weekend’s tournament at Lake Marion.

His suspension covered one game, Ridgeland’s home game against Beaufort High on Dec. 18.

Cox did not coach Hardeeville when it hosted Bluffton High on Dec. 15, but he sat in the stands. The SCHSL stipulates that a coach serving a suspension is not allowed to be in the building.

Taylor met with the Jaguars and Hurricanes’ teams and, according to a school district news release, said “although it was a very competitive game, you responded well to the officials and to each other and displayed sportsmanship through a very fiercely contested game.”

Taylor said viewing the video helped mold his decisions.
“It clarified a lot of things, validated and disproved some other things,” he said.

The video was taken from mid-court, across from the teams’ benches. There was no discernible audio.

There is no set timeframe for when Cox’s suspension will be lifted. The district offices are closed until Jan. 4 and Taylor said it is “very unlikely” a decision will be made before then.

“There are just certain things I need to be assured of,” he said.

Hardeeville Today Editor Erinn McGuire contributed to this story.