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IHSAA makes changes to boys state swimming and basketball

Sports

August 8th, 2017 by admin

(IHSAA) At its August 4th meeting, the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s Board of Control approved administrative recommendations effecting the State Swimming Meet and State Basketball Tournament, effective this winter.

The changes approved a three-year contract to return the State Swimming Meet to the campus of the University of Iowa, while the State Basketball Tournament will become a Monday through Friday event and remain at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Neither of the changes will impact how teams and/or individuals qualify for the State Tournament. Both changes are supported by the advisory committees and coaches’ associations in their respective sports.

IHSAA Executive Director Alan Beste commented, “The Marshalltown YMCA/YWCA and Marshalltown Community Schools were exceptional hosts and the Y provided a great venue for our state swimming championships. The move to The University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation and Wellness Center provides an opportunity for our championships to be held at a site where the NCAA Men’s Championships have been held and will be held again in the future.”

He continued, “Our goal in moving the state basketball tournament to a 5-day event is to reduce conflicts with college basketball tournaments and spring breaks that many school districts are engaged in and provide our schools, communities and fans a shorter tournament week experience. We believe we can create more of a championship environment by playing all championship games on the same day – Championship Friday. Each day/evening of the tournament will be considered a single session ticket whereby all games on a given day will be included in the admission price.”

A five-day State Basketball Tournament is the first major move in the tournament since moving from three to four classes in 1985 and marks the first time the final day of the tournament is not scheduled on a Saturday.
There will be seven games on Monday and Tuesday of Tournament Week starting at 9:30 AM and six on the remaining three days, starting at 10:30 AM. Consolation games, which have been played since 1929, will continue to be played under the new format, with the four championship games being played Friday afternoon and evening. The order of the games will continue to be class 1A – 4A.

Full 2018 State Basketball Schedule: 2018-BOYS-STATE-TOURNAMENT-SCHEDULE