AN administrative error has cost the Willetton Tigers men's team a place in the State Basketball League finals.
The Tigers were poised to secure seventh spot on the ladder going into the final round of the season.
However, on Saturday afternoon the SBL Commission announced it would deduct premiership points from the Tigers after they fielded a player, Hayden Noordhoek, who was not registered as a contracted player with the league.
The Commission removed Noordhoek's individual statistics from the seven games he played and forfeited the team's wins over Rockingham, Goldfields and Perth.
The club was also fined.
The changed results left Willetton 11th on the ladder.
Willetton Basketball Association chairman Phil Nixon said he was extremely disappointed with the outcome after the club initially identified the error on Friday night.
Nixon said the SBL needed to have a system in place to check players' registration so errors could be picked up sooner.
“We are disappointed we are bearing the consequence of what should be part of league administration,” he said.
The team's 107-88 win over the South West Slammers on Saturday night was not enough to lift the team into the finals.