Could Charlotte host NC hoops regionals? What NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker says
Could the N.C. high school basketball regional championships come to Charlotte?
NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker said the association plans to speak to officials about using several venues in the Charlotte-area, with hopes to possibly host events next year.
“We’ll also talk with Lenoir-Rhyne again,” Tucker told The Charlotte Observer. “They’ve been really good to us this year, and we’re going to go back to Lenoir-Rhyne with our lacrosse state championships (in May).”
In December, the NCHSAA hosted some of its state football championships at Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory and returned for the western basketball regionals earlier this month. Lenoir-Rhyne’s gym seats about 1,600, making it the size of many high school venues.
The eastern basketball regionals were held at East Carolina’s Minges Coliseum, which seats more than 7,000.
“Minges worked really, really well,” Tucker said, “and, of course, Lenoir-Rhyne worked really well, too. But the issue you will always have at Lenoir-Rhyne is the size issue. It’s a wonderful facility and they’ve done a lot of work inside. They’ve got all comfortable seating in there, but, you know, the capacity is 1,600.”
Games in Charlotte?
Tucker said the NCHSAA spoke with officials at Charlotte’s Bojangles’ Coliseum, which seats more than 10,000 and regularly hosts Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ graduation ceremonies. The talks were around hosting volleyball and basketball games, but Tucker said there was a conflict.
She said Western Carolina, in Cullowhee, had shown interest in hosting the basketball regionals and Tucker also discussed the possibility of hosting them at Asheville’s Civic Center, which can seat more than 7,500, or even at UNC-Asheville, which can sit about 3,200.
Tucker acknowledged that both of those cities are in far west corners of the state, which might not be ideal for regional championships.
Finally, Tucker said the association planned to speak to officials at the Cabarrus Arena, which is in Concord and can seat more than 5,000, as well as with officials at Charlotte.
“We have talked about it,” Tucker said of reaching out to the 49ers’ staff about using 9,105-seat Halton Arena. “And we will talk with the folk at UNC Charlotte and see what we have.”
As for the basketball state finals, Tucker said she hoped to return to Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem. But said if things didn’t work out with Joel, the NCHSAA would have to explore other options.
Joel Coliseum seats more than 14,000 fans.
“I think everybody likes that arena,” Tucker said. “It’s perfect for what we do with our basketball championships. You know, it’s just the right size.”
