OHSAA making changes for high school basketball season

By Mitch Spinell

COLUMBUS, Ohio - In a memo sent to member schools on Friday morning, the Ohio High School Athletic Association notified coaches and athletic administrators of changes coming for the remainder of the season.

The OHSAA will allow boys' and girls' basketball teams to play two games in a single day, with a maximum of eight quarters for individual student-athletes.

This move will allow teams that have spent time in quarantine to do all they can to ensure they reach the 22-game allowance for the 2020-21 winter season.

"Teams may play two games in a given day; maximum of eight quarters per day for each student-athlete," the memo said. "The eight-quarter limit for the day is only permitted if two games are being played in the same day. Season quarter limits and maximum number of contests per season still remain."

The OHSAA will also allow teams to play regular-season contests through the end of tournament play. Similar to the system used during the previous high school football season, schools eliminated from the state tournament may continue to hold regular-season games until March 13 for girls, and March 20 for boys.

The girls' tournament draw will be on Jan. 31, with the sectional tournament kicking off on Feb. 8-20. Districts will be held on Feb. 22-27. The regional tournament is scheduled for March 1-6 ending at the state tournament from March 11-13.

The boys' tournament draw is Feb. 7, with the sectional tournament running from Feb. 15-27. The district tournament will run from March 1-6, with regionals on March 8-13. The state championships will be held March 18-20.

The OHSAA announced earlier this week that the state tournaments for basketball, hockey, and wrestling were actively searching for multiple host sites. It is unlikely the boys' and girls' state basketball finals will be held in Columbus and Dayton, respectively, as normally slated.