LHSAA limits attendance for remaining high school boys basketball championships due to COVID-19 concerns

The Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) has annaounced plans for limited attendance for the remaining boys basketball high school championships games following the latest state proclamation in response to COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

LHSAA officials said Wednesday the non-select title games at the Burton Complex in Lake Charles will be played Friday an Staurday as scheduled but fans and spirit groups are no longer allowed to attend.

Eddie Bonine, executive director of the LHSAA, released the following statement:

Today (Friday, March 13), Governor John Bel Edwards issued a proclamation stating that all large gatherings of people to be halted immediately until Monday, April 13th. The LHSAA Marsh Madness Tournament and the Divisional Select State Championships will continue as scheduled. However, based on this additional information and guidance from both the Louisiana Department of Education and the Governor’s office in the last hour, at this time, only student-athletes, coaches, officials, school administration, LHSAA staff, Burton Complex staff (non-select only), Visit Lake Charles staff (non-select only), security officers, the official TV Network, and preapproved and previously credentialed media will be allowed to attend the remainder of the tournament. This means that at this time NO schools support groups which include bands, cheerleaders and fans etc. will be allowed to attend the remainder of the tournament. The games will be televised on Cox Sports Television and NFHS Network at this LINK.

The same policies now apply to non-select title games this weekend as well. The Divison IV championship game was previously moved from Jefferson Parish to Baton Rouge amid the potentially high coronavirus threat in metro New Orleans.

All high school events planned before Monday have been cleared by the LHSAA to be played as scheduled:

To make it clear for everyone, All @LHSAA events scheduled from now through the weekend will still be played-Unless events are otherwise suspended/cancelled by local school administration. That's non-select & select basketball state finals & softball/baseball games & track meets.

— LHSCA (@TheLHSCA) March 13, 2020