Some Charlotte-area high school basketball fans may be shut out of state quarterfinal
Dozens of Myers Park parents and high school basketball fans have contacted the Observer and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, asking if Tuesday’s regional semifinal game against North Mecklenburg could be moved to a larger site.
North Mecklenburg (26-4) is ranked No. 3 in the Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16 poll. Myers Park (17-8) is ranked No. 7. The winner will advance to Saturday’s regional championship, one game away from the state final. Myers Park has not been to the regional championship game since 1966.
Only, North Mecklenburg has one of the smallest gyms in the county and the game could draw thousands of fans if the host site was large enough.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools athletic director Ericia Turner said the game will be held at North. She spoke with athletic directors from both schools, and said that North Mecklenburg will make sure that some of the seats at North’s gym will be reserved for Myers Park fans.
Myers Park athletic director Brian Poore said that 500 tickets will be sold. Each school got 100 tickets on Monday to sell among basketball and cheerleading families. Any not sold Monday would go into the general admission coffers to be sold Tuesday online.
The game will be available to stream online on the NFHS Network.
“I get it,” Poore said. “If i was playing at home in the fourth round, no matter my gym size, I’d rather be at home myself.”
Poore said with two regional semifinal games involving Charlotte-area teams, a neutral site doubleheader in Mecklenburg County could be a perfect solution. On Tuesday, Chambers plays at Weddington and Myers Park plays at North.
In years past, the N.C. High School Athletic Association would play regional semifinals and regional finals at a neutral site, in Hickory, Winston-Salem or Greensboro. Recently, only the regional championship game has been at a neutral site.
“I think it would be cool if the city somehow could do something,” said Poore, whose gym seats 1,800. “It would be a great draw and be some great games to get (Chambers-Weddington and Myers Park-North Meck) at a neutral site.”
Tuesday’s NCHSAA quarterfinals
Boys’ basketball
Class 4A
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
West
Chambers (22-6) at Weddington (28-0), 6:30
Myers Park (17-8) at North Mecklenburg (26-4), 7
East
Cleveland (29-1) at Richmond Senior (26-1), 6
Panther Creek (21-7) at Millbrook (20-8), 7:30
Class 3A
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
West
West Charlotte (19-9) at Ben Smith (25-5), 7
Enka (25-4) at Central Cabarrus (29-0), 6
East
Rocky Mount (20-4) at Seventy-First (25-4), 6
Northwood (24-3) at West Carteret (25-4), 6
Class 2A
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
West
West Caldwell (21-9) at North Surry (22-4), 7
Monroe (19-6) at Jay M. Robinson (25-3), 7
East
St. Pauls (22-5) at Farmville Central (25-3), 7:30
Cummings (22-0) at Kinston (22-2), 7
Class 1A
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
West
Thomasville (22-5) at Hayesville (25-0), 6:30
Bessemer City (23-4) at Winston-Salem Prep (24-2), 6
East
KIPP Pride (16-7) at Chatham Charter (31-1), 7
North Edgecombe (21-6) at Wilson Prep (21-5), 7:30
Girls’ basketball
Class 4A
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
West
Lake Norman (24-3) at Charlotte Catholic (27-2), 6
Chambers (20-6) at Northern Guilford (28-0), 6
East
Green Level (25-4) at Apex Friendship (27-2), 6
Panther Creek (22-5) at Millbrook (22-3), 6
Class 3A
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
West
North Davidson (24-2) at Jesse Carson (25-3), 6
Enka (14-14) at Parkwood (23-6), 6
East
Rocky Mount (24-1) at Terry Sanford (29-0), 6
Williams (21-5) at Northwood (27-1), 6
Class 2A
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
West
Shelby (21-1) at Randleman (25-0), 6
North Surry (19-5) at Salisbury (25-1), 6
East
East Bladen (26-3) at St. Pauls (26-1), 6
Roanoke Rapids (17-2) at Farmville Central (25-4), 6
Class 1A
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
West
Bishop McGuinness (23-6) at Murphy (26-3), 6
Starmount (13-11) at Mountain Heritage (22-3), 6
East
Pinetown Northside (18-2) at Bertie (19-4), 6
Falls Lake Academy (27-1) at Wilson Prep (23-0), 6
This story was originally published February 28, 2022 at 1:57 PM.
