The guy with the website is only credentialed if the event has a process for obtaining credentials and issuing them. I'm a credentialed photo journalist for the Asia Hockey League here in Korea. I have a special pass that grants me access to to the area beside the ice during games, and restricted areas as well I get to go on the ice to take photos during special ceremonies and things like that, in addition I do interviews with the players and staff.
With no access control, it is unlikely anyone is getting credentialed here. High schools usually don't do credentialing anyway. So credentialed vs non-credentialed doesn't come into play here.
The issue is this statement:
Quote: Some kids I know are involved and asked if I could take some pictures.
He was asked by the members of the team to go there and take their photo.
Unless the guy with the website was also asked like him, it does elevate him slightly. It's not quite the same as being hired on as an official photographer, but we'd have to know if it was an official request made on behalf of the team, for example did those kids suggest to the team that they should have him come and take their photos so the team said "yes sure, go ahead and ask him to come and take our photos". Keep in mind it's a high school basketball game and not likely to have some of the formality and things more professional events might have.
I would say in this instance he's about as close as you get to an "official photographer"