High school basketball team under fire after swapping triplets at free-throw line

There’s controversy in the world of Missouri high school basketball, and it’s something straight out of a Disney Channel movie. Parents and coaches of opposing teams are claiming that Dora High School swapped free-throw shooters after fouls and never got caught by officials — all because three of the team’s five starters are triplets.

The most recent example came over the weekend as Dora won the Cabool Tournament Championship, beating Licking High School, 64-62, meaning that a correct free-throw shooter here or there could have been the difference.

The video shows No. 34, Auston Luna, get fouled and swapping out with his brother, No. 20 Bryson, who takes the shot while his fouled brother sits on the bench.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) is looking into the above video, as well as several other complaints from area schools that Dora employed the triplet-swapping free-throw tactic in their games, but admitted there isn’t much they can do. This would be a technical foul in their rules, and the game has already concluded. The only provision for changing the result of a game is if a player is ruled ineligible, not incorrectly swapping at the free throw line.

When reached by Ozark Sports Zone, Dora head coach, athletic director AND the triplets’ father Rick Luna said the swap was not planned, and defended his team’s result.

“Was this planned,” Chad Plein asked Luna on the phone.|
“No, no,” Luna insisted.
The coach’s only knowledge of the incidents is what a friend told him over the phone. The coach even joked about if it was a plan, it was poorly constructed.
“The two free throws they’re talking about,” Luna says referring to the information his friend gave him, “(Dora) went one-for-four shooting those free throws and we won by two.”

The MHSAA says it will further educate officials to try and stop potential shooter swapping in the future.