Ex-Detroit basketball assistant alleges wrongful firing

• Ex-assistant Carlos Briggs says he told school of "misconduct of others in athletic department"
• Briggs did not give names but says "wrongdoers" were "separated from service" Oct. 31
• Athletics director Keri Gaither and assistant coach Derek Thomas resigned that day

Former Detroit Mercy assistant basketball coach Carlos Briggs says he was wrongfully fired in an effort by the university "to cover up the misconduct of others in the athletic department" — after he brought the allegations to the school's attention.

Briggs, who made his accusations Wednesday in a statement he e-mailed to several media outlets, did not provide details of the alleged wrongdoing or when it might have taken place, only that he first reported it to school officials in August.

When reached by the Detroit Free Press, Briggs would not comment further.

Briggs, in his sixth season at Detroit Mercy, did not mention names in his statement but wrote that "on Oct. 31 the wrongdoers in the athletic department who were the subject of my August disclosure were separated from service of the university."

That's the day the school announced that athletics director Keri Gaither and assistant basketball coach Derek Thomas had resigned, effective immediately, to pursue other interests. The resignations were announced by Detroit Mercy in separate releases.

Briggs said he was fired the following day. The school kept his name and profile on the basketball team's Web page until Wednesday afternoon, replaced by "TBA" under a list of assistant coaches.

Schools officials repeatedly have declined to comment on the departures. Gary Lichtman, director of media relations, marketing and public affairs, said Detroit Mercy could not discuss personnel matters.

Detroit Mercy is the lone NCAA Division I school in Detroit and one of only seven in the state. A private, Catholic institution, it is affiliated with the Jesuits and Sisters of Mercy.

Four former basketball players — LaMarcus Lowe, Donavan Foster, Brandon Romain and Xavier Keeling — told the Free Press in recent interviews that the behavior of Gaither and Thomas on road trips in recent seasons led them to believe they had an inappropriate relationship. Gaither ran the department in which Thomas worked. They both have spouses.

Said Foster, "People just didn't respect her, didn't respect coach Thomas. Because you're looking at two people" who were "authority figures to us."

Foster and Lowe were seniors last season when the Titans won the Horizon League tournament. Lowe started, and Foster played 21 minutes off the bench in the Titans' 65-50 loss to Kansas in the NCAA tournament.

Foster said he questioned Gaither's and Thomas' relationship directly to coach Ray McCallum.

"I brought it to Coach Ray one time," Foster said. "He didn't go do nothing about it."

Detroit Mercy President Antoine M. Garibaldi would not comment last month when Free Press reporters visited his home and told him about the former players' allegations. Several Board of Trustees members also declined comment then.

Gaither, Thomas and McCallum have not returned requests for comment.

Briggs, in his statement Wednesday, said he was told to report his allegations on the school's website, which allows for anonymous whistleblower reports. He said a "prominent alumnus" told him that the Detroit Mercy president needed the allegations reported this way to "help him clean up the problem." Briggs said the alumnus did not disclose Briggs' identity to the president.

Briggs, 49, said all this information was known by his "direct superior" since they had discussed it numerous times, including in staff meetings during the 2011-12 basketball season.

Briggs said he was asked to come forward for an in-person meeting to further the university's investigation into the allegations and was reassured he would be protected from harassment and retaliation.

The whistleblower policy states: "Employees may report suspected noncompliance issues without fear of reprisal or retaliation. An employee who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment."

However, Briggs contended the athletics director "harassed me in retaliation" when it came out that Briggs had come forward with his report. Briggs did not provide specifics.

Briggs, a Detroit native, attended Benedictine High, Schoolcraft College and Baylor and was drafted in the fourth round by the San Antonio Spurs in 1986 but never played in the NBA. He primarily worked with the Titans' guards, plus recruited and scouted opponents. He was head coach at Schoolcraft from 1997 to 2006, building one of the better junior college programs in the country. He went 249-39 and reached a junior college Final Four in 2001 with a 36-1 team.

The Titans are 3-4 this season after a victory Wednesday night.

Farrell, Schaefer and Bull also write for the Detroit Free Press.