NCHSAA: Basketball championships still on, but unsure if changes will need to be made
As coronavirus continues to spread across the country, the NCAA announced on Wednesday that the NCAA Tournament would be played without fans in the venues. Some conference tournaments are limiting spectator access, and the Ivy League canceled its tournament all together.
On Saturday, the N.C. High School Athletic Association is scheduled to hold its boys & girls basketball state championship games at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh and the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill.
The UNC system, of which UNC and NC State are part of, announced Wednesday that most of its classes would be moved online, prevent person-to-person contact. Spring breaks at both schools have also been extended through Mar. 22.
NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker said Wednesday evening that the association is not sure if those developments mean the NCHSAA will have to make changes to the basketball state championships.
"At this moment, we have not spoken with our contacts at UNC and NCSU. Thus, we do not know if we have to cancel the games or if we can play — with a limited number of spectators or without spectators," Tucker said. "Once we get the official word, we will communicate that information to our schools first and then to the media and general public."
1A and 3A basketball games are scheduled to be held at Reynolds Coliseum, while the 2A and 4A games are scheduled to be held at the Dean Dome on Saturday.
Tickets are being pre-sold at participating high schools and online.
Earlier in the week, Tucker released a statement stating that the NCHSAA would continue to monitor the situation, but had no plans to cancel or suspend any sports at that time.
At the NCHSAA basketball state championship press conference on Tuesday morning, Tucker said teams would not conduct the typical handshakes, and would instead bump elbows.
The NCHSAA has also urged fans who are sick or may have symptoms of cornoavirus to remain at home and watch the games on television or on the NFHS Network.
