EAST LANSING, MI (WTVB) – With the Breslin Center at Michigan State University unavailable in March 2019 for the traditional boys basketball finals weekend because of the possibility the first two rounds of the NCAA Women’s Tournament being played there, the Michigan High School Athletic Association has had to juggle basketball schedules for the 2018-2019 season.
The Representative Council approved during its Fall Meeting last Friday voted to move the 2019 boys tournament finals up one weekend to March 14, 15 and 16, 2019.
The girls Semifinals and Finals are moving to Calvin College’s Van Noord Arena for this season, and with this switch they will be played at Calvin College during the weekend of March 21, 22 and 23, 2019.
This switch in calendars for 2018-19 also includes a switch of starting dates for when practices may begin and first games played.
In 2018-19, the boys will begin practice first and the first boys basketball games will be able to be played the Monday after Thanksgiving, followed by the first girls games a week later.
The boys District and Regional tournaments also will start a week earlier than those for the girls.
The current NCAA calendar for 2019-20 would allow for the MHSAA girls and boys tournaments to move back to their traditional weekends with Semifinals and Finals played at a Division I college venue, although that is not decided. Other options will be examined during 2018.
