EAST LANSING, MI. – (WTVB) – What was expected to be a big Friday night of high school boys basketball with both Coldwater and Quincy trying to win district championships will not happen and there are no indications as to if or when the games will be played, if ever.
The Michigan High School Athletic Administration announced at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon that all M.H.S.A.A. winter tournaments were suspended indefinitely due to concerns related to COVID-19.
The suspension of tournaments was effective immediately and included Thursday night’s girls basketball regional championship games.
Coldwater was scheduled to play Gull Lake for the Division One District crown at Battle Creek Lakeview while Quincy was scheduled to host Centreville for a Division Three District championship
Also affected by the suspension of events was the Coldwater Gymnastics team as four of their team members had qualified for the individual state finals on Saturday.
The M.H.S.A.A. announcement came a few hours after the Big Ten Conference suddenly cancelled the men’s basketball tournament in Indianapolis due to the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament was scrubbed about 20 minutes before Michigan was scheduled to play Rutgers. Other major collegiate conferences also called off their post season men’s basketball tournaments.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association postponed all remaining winter tournaments but Indiana High School Athletic Association commissioner Bobby Cox said the high school boys basketball tournament on Saturday and girls gymnastics final on Thursday will continue with limited attendance due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The M.H.S.A.A. indefinite suspension of events came after the organization announced earlier in the day that the winter tournament events would still be held through Saturday but with restricted attendance. Officials were planning on only admitting parents, legal guardians and essential administrators.
