NCHSAA adopts ‘Final 4’ format for high school basketball. Here’s what it will look like
N.C. high schools are about to get their own version of a “Final Four” for boys and girls basketball.
In March, North Carolina High School Athletic Association commissioner Que Tucker told The Observer that the association would likely consider changing the way it hosts its basketball semifinals and finals after issues arose with overcrowding at high school gyms throughout the state in the regional semifinal and regional championship rounds.
On Wednesday, the NCHSAA Board of Directors voted to change its playoff format.
Teams that reach the regional championship, or state semifinal, round will now play at a single site in one week. It’s a similar format the association used to have for regional weeks in Greensboro and Greenville.
Regional semifinals were held Tuesday through Friday and regional finals were held on Saturday, mostly at one site, like the Greensboro Coliseum Annex.
In this new proposal, the Eastern and Western boys and girls semifinal representatives would play Monday through Thursday in regional championship games at one location. Then state finals would be played Friday and Saturday.
Regional and state final games would begin at noon.
These changes came after the NCHSAA has struggled to find adequate high school facilities for its regional championship games, particularly this year, with several games selling out in minutes. There were complaints of ticket availability and some people couldn’t access venues who did have tickets.
Shortly after this year’s state finals, Tucker told The Observer that the NCHSAA would quickly address these issues.
“We’ll come up with some out-of-the-box thinking,” she said, “and share that with our board and our member schools.”
Not two months later, the NCHSAA has delivered a major change.
“I liked it when it was that way for the regionals,” said Myers Park boys coach Scott Taylor, whose team won the 4A state championship last March. “I remember when the 4A (regional semifinals) would be at Wake Forest on Tuesday, and everybody would come back (for the regional final) on Saturday. It was a cool experience for the kids.”
Taylor said he expects a similar situation under this new format.
“I think if we do it right — and they’ll do it right — it’s a good thing,” he said. “My hope is that people will continue to travel. Thinking about our journey this year, I don’t think we would’ve had anybody having trouble getting up there for Tuesday (regional final with North Meck) and coming back Saturday (for a state final with Richmond Senior).
“It makes sense. You want to have the four best teams there, and get to see each other and put on a show for everybody. It’ll also be a good way to expand media rights. I just think it’s a step in the right direction.”
This story was originally published May 3, 2023 at 10:39 AM.
