NCISAA to basketball teams: Head to Asheville, despite forecast
The N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association plans to go ahead with its state tournament in Asheville, despite a large snowstorm forecast to hit the area Wednesday night.
NCISAA officials met Wednesday morning to discuss the weather forecast and safety of traveling teams for the quarterfinals, scheduled to begin Thursday. Semifinals are scheduled for Friday with the championships on Saturday. Asheville has not hosted the championships since 2011.
NCISAA executive director Chuck Carter said, as of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, most schools were en route to Asheville. He said only two schools, one from Raleigh and one from Greensboro, expressed any reticence about making the trip.
“I’ve talked to a gazillion people all over the state,” Carter said. “All the roads seem to be in good shape around the state and we’re trying to get everybody up here. All the schools feel they can get here (Wednesday).”
Carter said the NCISAA consulted with its own weather person before making this plan and will watch the results of the snow storm and will relese an adjusted schedule, if needed, for Thursday’s quarterfinals. They are currently scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Carter said the NCISAA is adding an additional site, Asheville School, and would now have four sites – along with Ardren’s Christ School, Carolina Day and Asheville Christian – allowing the association to start the final games Thursday earlier. Previously, the last games were scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m.
“We’re going to sit on this thing Thursday and wait and see how long it takes the city to get the roads plowed and get them safe,” Carter said. “Once that is safe, we’ll have site directors drive each route and then we’re going to say, ‘It’s Ok to start this tournament.’ So maybe intead of 10 a.m. we start at 1 p.m.”
Wednesday morning, temperatures hovered around 30 degrees in Asheville, with an expected high of 42. By 5 p.m., rain showers are expected and that will quickly turn to snow, with snow continuing for nearly 12 hours. Up to 6 inches is predicted.
Many school systems in the state were closed Wednesday and caused heavy cancelations to the public school playoff schedule. Several Asheville-area public school games, scheduled for Wednesday, were postponed, including Asheville Erwin vs. Asheville. The Observer wrote that the NCISAA should consider waiting out the storm, like many public schools will do, and then come up with an alternate schedule.
Fans at the NCISAA finals will likely deal with snow and icy conditions in the area throughout the tournament, particularly when leaving night games. Temperatures call for a high of 34 Friday and a low of 20 and a high of 39 with a low of 25 Saturday.
The 2015 NCISAA State Basketball Tournament will proceed on Thursday (February 26), Friday(February 27), and Saturday(February 28)
— chappell carter (@ncisaa_carter) February 25, 2015@ncisaa_carter on a schedule to be determined by safe road conditions. Therefore, all competing teams are urged to drive to Asheville today.
— chappell carter (@ncisaa_carter) February 25, 2015@ncisaa_carter during daylight hours. Tournament times tomorrow will be set based upon local road conditions and will be posted on our site
— chappell carter (@ncisaa_carter) February 25, 2015NCISAA state tournament schedule
Boys
1A First Round
Oakwood 72, Lawrence 65; Cape Fear 96, Crossroads Christian 58; Wayne Country Day 74, Hickory Christian 23; Neuse Christian 76, Terra Ceia 68
Thursday’s quarterfinals at Asheville Christian
Oakwood School (16-8) vs. Victory Christian (25-6), 11:30 a.m.; Cape Fear Christian (18-12) vs. Greenfield School (24-8), 8:30 p.m.; Burlington School (28-1) vs. Wayne Country Day (15-12), 5:30 p.m.; Trinity Christian (22-9) vs. Neuse Christian (18-9), 2:30 p.m.
2A First Round
Westchester Country Day 73, Cary Christian 60; Harrells Christian 62, Freedom Christian 51; Village Christian 78, Carolina Day 50; Asheville Christian 59, Calvary Baptist 54
Thursday’s quarterfinals at Carolina Day
Westchester Country Day (19-6) vs Northside Christian (22-5); Harrells Christian (19-4) vs. Davidson Day (20-9), 8:30 p.m.; Village Christian (19-12) vs. Concord First Assembly (22-8), 5:30 p.m.; Asheville Christian (21-6) vs. Gaston Day (22-8), 2:30 p.m.
3A First Round
Rabun Gap 67, Charlotte Christian 52; Christ School 71, Southlake Christian 59; High Point Christian 74, North Raleigh Christian 62; Charlotte Latin 74, Forsyth Country Day 68
Thursday’s quarterfinals at Christ School
Rabun Gap (20-8) vs. HP Wesleyan Christian (26-4), 11:30 a.m.; Christ School (24-8) vs. Raleigh Ravenscroft (21-6), 8:30 p.m.; Providence Day (24-4) vs. HP Christian (19-13), 5:30 p.m.; Charlotte Latin (19-7) vs Greensboro Day (30-2), 2:30 p.m.
Girls
1A First Round
Statesville Christian 58, Lawrence Academy 44; Burlington School 71, Neuse Christian 45; Victory Christian 36, Raleigh Trinity 27; Ridgecroft 49, Hickory Christian 40
Thursday’s quarterfinals at Asheville Christian
Statesville Christian (13-5) vs. Oakwood School (23-1), 10 a.m.; Burlington School (20-4) vs. Northwood Temple (14-8), 7 p.m.; Victory Christian (12-8) vs. Halifax Academy (22-2), 4 p.m.; Ridgecroft (20-6) vs. Fayetteville Trinity Christian (14-6), 1 p.m.
2A First Round
Saint David’s 62, Cary Christian 34; Concord First Assembly 55, Fayetteville Academy 39; Asheville Christian 47, Harrells Christian 35; Village Christian 65, Caldwell Academy 48
Thursday’s quarterfinals at Carolina Day School
Carolina Day (19-6) vs. St. David’s (22-3), 10 a.m.; Concord First Assembly (24-5) vs. Fayetteville Christian (21-4), 7 p.m.; Davidson Day (23-4) vs. Asheville Christian (16-10), 4 p.m.; Village Christian (21-10) vs. Northside Christian (24-3), 1 p.m.
3A First Round
Forsyth Country Day 59, Hickory Grove 53; Charlotte Christian 48 High Point Christian 30; Raleigh Ravenscroft 71, Durham Academy 32; Charlotte Latin 47, Covenant Day 45 OT
Thursday’s quarterfinals at Christ School
Forsyth Country Day (14-15) at Rabun Gap (24-5), 10 a.m.; Charlotte Christian (20-10) at Wesleyan Christian (14-12), 7 p.m.; Greensboro Day (26-8) vs. Ravenscroft (24-4), 4 p.m.; Charlotte Latin (16-9) vs. Providence Day (24-3), 1 p.m.
This story was originally published February 25, 2015 at 11:15 AM with the headline "NCISAA to basketball teams: Head to Asheville, despite forecast."