The N.C. High School Athletic Association will, for the first time, host all basketball state semifinals and championship games in one location.

The NCHSAA Board of Directors voted and approved the decision in the spring of 2023, but it was not a sudden decision. The board had been working on this for years.

The “Final Four” atmosphere will be present as both the semifinals and finals are held in one location. The state semifinals, consisting of four games each day, will take place from Monday to Thursday at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Similarly, the state championships will occur on Friday and Saturday, with four games each day at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Some games will take place during the school day. From Monday to Thursday, games will be played in two-hour intervals starting at 2 p.m. On Fridays, games will be played in 2.5-hour intervals starting at 1 p.m. Saturday’s games will also be played in 2.5-hour intervals, but they will start at 12 p.m.

While this may not be typical in North Carolina, it is a relatively common practice nationwide, especially in the realm of basketball. Numerous state associations hold their championship games during regular school days.

This is not uncommon in North Carolina. Several sports hold state championship events during school hours, including tennis, golf, swimming and diving, track and field, and wrestling.

Although this may be a new concept for basketball, it is not unfamiliar in high school sports, especially in North Carolina. Coaches have been discussing it for quite some time now. It appears that the NCHSAA initially opposed it, most likely due to potential disruptions to the school day, but they were eventually compelled to implement it.

What led us to this point?

To begin, we will provide a concise overview of the past events.

In the past, the NCHSAA basketball playoffs were divided into three sections. The initial week consisted of three matches, with the victor of the third match being crowned the sectional champion.

The local winners progressed to the regional basketball competition. This is similar to the Elite Eight round in the NCAA tournament. The regional semifinals took place from Tuesday to Friday, with four games per day at two separate venues in the east, and four games at two venues in the west. The teams that made it to the regional finals played again on Saturday.

After winning the regional championship, the team was granted a week-long break before competing for the state title on the following Saturday. Most state championships took place at the Dean E. Smith Center and Reynolds Coliseum, with a few exceptions like during the COVID-19 pandemic, where some were held at Carmichael Arena.

As time passed, organizing regional tournaments became increasingly challenging. The events were costly and required significant sponsorship to offset expenses. Additionally, finding enough venues willing to host the five-day event was crucial.

There were instances of scheduling conflicts. Sometimes, winter weather occurred, and due to tight schedules, the NCHSAA was unable to make changes.

Starting in the 2015-2016 season, the NCHSAA was no longer able to hold regional tournaments at large, neutral locations. Instead, fourth round matches were held at the higher seed’s site and the victorious teams moved on to the regional championship, which was still conducted at a larger, neutral venue.

During that particular season, I reported on the 4A fourth round playoff match between Millbrook and Garner. The game was completely sold out well before it even began. When I got there, I was fortunate enough to have a media credential that allowed me access. The line to get in stretched hundreds of people deep into the parking lot outside of the small Garner gymnasium. This venue had much less seating compared to previous fourth round game locations like Minges Coliseum or Crown Coliseum.

The energy within Garner that evening was incredible, as was the outcome of the game (Garner triumphed with a score of 92-88, securing their spot in the regional championship). However, those who were unable to secure a ticket to the game expressed frustration. The common query was, “Why choose a small high school gym for a fourth round match?”

In the following years, the NCHSAA maintained the tradition of hosting regional championship games in larger venues. However, this became increasingly challenging due to logistical issues, expenses, and limited venue options. The last time regional championships were held in such venues was in March 2020.

In the subsequent year, due to ongoing COVID-19 limitations, the NCHSAA was not permitted to hold regional or state championships in traditional venues. Instead, all matches took place in high school gymnasiums.

In 2022 and 2023, the pattern persisted. The NCHSAA chose high schools with bigger gymnasiums to act as neutral locations for regional championships, while the state championships resumed taking place at college venues such as NC State and UNC.

In 2022, as capacity restrictions caused by the pandemic were lifted, numerous individuals expressed frustration at being unable to secure tickets for regional championship games. This frustration intensified in 2023 when ticket holders were unable to attend the games. Some individuals on social media accused the NCHSAA of overselling the gymnasiums, but the association vehemently denied these claims.

At the press conference for the state championship, NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker expressed remorse and apologized. This occurred in the week following the championship.

“Last Saturday was not the NCHSAA’s finest hour,” she said. “People got in that should not have gotten in. We don’t know how that happened.”

for the seeding process

The NCHSAA needed to devise a solution for the seeding procedure.

If you’ve reached this point in the article, you may be aware of the ongoing legislative inquiry into the NCHSAA. Certain legislators who introduced a bill that will significantly alter high school sports in North Carolina have cited the basketball regionals as evidence of their concerns with the organization.

The NCHSAA and legislators have come to an agreement on this particular issue – it must not be repeated.

“We are brainstorming alternative ideas for the appearance of our regional events,” Tucker stated shortly after the conclusion of the 2023 regional championships.

The unconventional approach is what resulted in the development of the innovative “Final Four” structure.

Will there be any challenges this year? Most likely, as is typical for first-time efforts. Will there be individuals unable to attend the games due to daytime scheduling or location differences? Yes. However, the NCHSAA had to determine the most suitable choice available, and this was the result.

The NCHSAA consulted with neighboring state associations regarding their playoff procedures. For instance, the South Carolina High School League follows a similar approach for their state semifinals and finals.

The NCHSAA Board of Directors, consisting of coaches, athletic directors, principals, and superintendents, recently voted on a new basketball playoff format. Prior to the vote, Tucker presented the NCHSAA staff’s extensive research on the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed format to other state associations. The board carefully considered all information and on May 3, 2023, voted to approve the new format.

There are expected to be numerous benefits resulting from this decision. Firstly, there will be a single semifinal and championship game held at a time. This means that, theoretically, it will be possible to watch every semifinal and final game in both boys’ and girls’ basketball. This has never been possible in the past, and in a state with such high levels of basketball skill and spirit, it should be incredibly thrilling.

The adjustments made to the semifinals and finals will also impact the earlier rounds. In the past, teams were required to play three games in the first week of the playoffs. Typically, teams play two games per week during the regular season. However, after the conference tournament, where the top teams likely played three games, they will now have to play three games in just five days for the first three rounds of the state playoffs.

In the revised format, teams will have two games each week during the playoffs, with a total of six games if they reach the state championship. This will allow teams to have more time to prepare for games and rest between matchups. As fans, we can expect to see an improved performance on the court.

Is this the ultimate solution? Only the future can reveal. However, it was clear that the NCHSAA could not ethically return to hosting state semifinal games at high school gyms this year.

Source: highschoolot.com