As a multi-pronged illegal gambling scandal engulfs the NBA, three former college basketball players at Eastern Michigan have refused to participate in a probe investigating potential sports-betting violations at the school, the NCAA announced Friday.
Jalen Terry, Da’Sean Nelson and Jalin Billingsley — all of whom exhausted their college eligibility last season with the Eagles — allowed their phones to be imaged but declined to be interviewed in the investigation looking into “suspicious” betting behavior concerning Eastern Michigan’s 82-61 loss Jan. 14 of last season against rival Central Michigan, the release stated.
Through legal counsel, the three players notified the NCAA that they would not participate further in the investigation, and they have requested that any phone imaging be deleted.
Eastern Michigan Eagles forward Jalin Billingsley (1) shoots a free throw during the Eastern Michigan Eagles vs the Toledo Rockets game on February 15, 2025 at George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, MI. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Follow The Post’s latest on the gambling scandal rocking the NBA:
According to the NCAA, the players’ lack of cooperation resulted in the enforcement body being unable to prove that betting infractions took place.
According to the findings, suspicious betting activity — described as unusual interest against Eastern Michigan — also was detected by sports books during the first half of games earlier last season against Wright State and Toledo. The Eagles, who finished with a record of 16-16, were behind at halftime in each of those contests.
Eastern Michigan Eagles guard Jalen Terry (3) goes in for a slam dunk during the Eastern Michigan Eagles vs the Toledo Rockets game on February 15, 2025 at George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, MI. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Terry, Nelson and Billingsley were three of the program’s top four scorers in 2024-25, with the first two players transferring to the school after previously being teammates at DePaul.
The FBI has arrested 31 people involved in a rigged poker game ring backed by the New York City organized crime families.
- Ernest Aiello — reputed Bonanno mobster
- Nelson “Spanish G” Alvarez
- Louis “Lou Ap” Apicella
- Ammar “Flapper Poker” Awawdeh
- Saul Becher — professional poker player
- Chauncey Billups — Portland Trail Blazers coach, NBA Hall of Famer and 2004 NBA champion
- Matthew “The Wrestler” Daddino
- Eric “Spooky” Earnest
- Lee Fama — professional poker player
- John Gallo
- Marco Garzon
- Thomas “Tommy Juice” Gelardo — reputed Lucchese mobster charged in 2013 for beating porn star girlfriend
- Jamie Gilet
- Tony “Black Tony” Goodson
- Kenny Han
- Shane “Sugar” Henne
- Osman “Albanian Bruce” Hoti
- Horatio Hu
- Zhen “Scruli” Hu
- Damon “Dee Jones” Jones — NBA player from 1998 to 2009
- Joseph Lanni
- John “John South” Mazzola
- Curtis Meeks
- Nicholas Minucci
- Michael Renzulli
- Anthony Ruggiero Jr.
- Anthony “Doc” Shnayderman
- Robert “Black Rob” Stroud
- Seth Trustman
- Sophia “Pookie” Wei
- Julius Ziliani
As part of the ongoing investigation, the NCAA also is looking into sports-betting allegations at five other schools involving 10 additional players.
Eastern Michigan Eagles forward Da’Sean Nelson (2) jumps up to pass around Toledo Rockets forward Andre Lorentsson (13) during the Eastern Michigan Eagles vs the Toledo Rockets game on Saturday, February 15, 2025 at George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, MI. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Follow The Post’s live updates on the bombshell NBA, Mafia gambling scandal
Refusing to participate in an investigation is considered an NCAA violation and could result in eligibility being rescinded, but the three Eastern Michigan players have none remaining.
“When individuals choose not to cooperate — particularly when cases involve potential integrity issues — those choices can and will be met with serious consequences including prohibitions on athletically related activities, the loss of eligibility and/or being publicly named in an infractions decision,” the Division I Committee on Infractions said in a statement.
