Newton-Conover girls, Freedom boys won’t
play their state title basketball games
HobbsDailyReport.com
RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper announced early Friday afternoon schools in North Carolina will not re-open, extending the current closing past the previously set May 15 review date.
Cooper had earlier closed all schools in the state due to the coronavirus pandemic, just before the state basketball title games were scheduled to be played.
The decision that the school year 2020-21 is over prompted the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) to announce prep sports — including eight state basketball title games that were postponed — and all spring sports won’t be played.
In a press release sent by email about 2:45 p.m., the NCHSAA said it will now begin working on other details for the return of athletics.
The release:
What follows is a statement (by NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker) that we had hoped we would not have to make:
In keeping with Governor Roy Cooper’s announcement today that the public schools of North Carolina will be closed to in-person learning for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has canceled all remaining winter championships and spring sports.
TUCKER
“Today’s decision is difficult for the NCHSAA Board of Directors and Staff. We empathize with the thousands of student-athletes, especially graduating seniors, coaching staffs, officials and family members affected by this decision.
“However, this decision reflects a commitment to keeping our student-athletes, officials and member schools’ staffs and their communities safe, while following the guidelines provided by the Governor and his team, along with the Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education.”
We had maintained hope for a conclusion to our State Basketball Championships and a modified spring sports season to help return a sense of normalcy to our communities.
“Now, as we continue to deal with this difficult time, we must do so by applying the lessons that education-based athletics teaches us: cooperation, patience, sacrifice, responsibility, perseverance and resilience. Together, we will be able to put a “W” in the win column!”
The NCHSAA Board of Directors, in its meeting next week, will discuss finalizing the state basketball playoffs, policies for summer activities, as well as address academic eligibility concerns for Fall 2020.
The NCHSAA release did not indicate what considerations might be given to whether or not it would declare co-champions in basketball, East and West champions or no championship teams listed.
