The Illinois High School Association will limit attendance at the state tournament to 60 fans per school this weekend in Peoria and at all other games across the state due to concerns over the coronavirus.
“This was a difficult decision shaped by thoughtful deliberation set against a truly unprecedented backdrop,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “IHSA Basketball is America’s Original March Madness, and we recognize that this tournament is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the competing teams, communities and fans. Ultimately though, we have to put the health and safety of the students, along with the general public, ahead of the spectacle of the event. This is and remains a fluid situation. It is important that our member schools and fans understand that events outside any of our control could lead to further changes over the coming hours and days.”
Full refunds will be available for all fans that already purchased tickets. The IHSA says the move came after after consultation with the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Peoria City/County Health Departments.
Other changes: The three-point contest has been postponed. The March Madness Experience will be closed this weekend in Peoria. The scholastic bowl, debate and drama state finals will also be closed to the public.
The IHSA has asked media to “use common sense. For your own safety, and the safety of everyone involved, please do not use your press pass simply to gain access to the remaining games if you aren’t actively covering the game or games.”
Young is scheduled to play top-ranked Curie on Friday at Lyons in a Class 4A sectional final.
“It is disappointing that they had to do it but I guess it is the right thing to do given the circumstances we are facing,” Young basketball coach Tyrone Slaughter said. “I give the IHSA credit for at least going through with the games. They got this one right.”
Wednesday afternoon the IHSA announced that the tournament would go on as planned, with all fans welcome to attend. But things changed quickly around the country in the hours after that, with the NCAA deciding to allow no fans and the NBA suspending it season.
Aurora Christian, Orr, Timothy Christian, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Breese Mater Dei, Madison, Goreville and Roanoke-Benson are the eight schools participating in the Class 1A and 2A state finals this weekend.
The IHSA and Hinsdale South issued a joint statement on Wednesday night announcing the Class 3A sectional semifinal game between Benet and host Hinsdale South has been postponed until Thursday.
“Due to a potential student health emergency at Hinsdale South, the IHSA Class 3A Boys Basketball Sectional that is scheduled to be hosted by the school will be delayed by one day,”
Later on Wednesday the Hinsdale School District issued a statement that a Hinsdale South student may have been exposed to the coronavirus but had not received test results back yet. It said classes were canceled on Thursday at Hinsdale South and Hinsdale Central. That put the status of the Hinsdale South vs. Benet sectional game up in the air.
The larger Class 3A and Class 4A schools play sectional final games on Friday at several high schools. The IHSA has supersectional games scheduled at college venues all around the state on Tuesday. Both Northwestern and ISU, supersectional hosts, have canceled on campus classes for students
“I would like to see them move the games from the college arenas given that you are only going to have 120 or so people,” Slaughter said. “It doesn’t make any sense to play in those cavernous arenas. As bad as it is to begin with it is worse in those bigger venues. Just try to find some nice high schools to play in.”
