IHSAA condenses boys’ basketball state tournament to 5 days

All four boys' basketball state championship games will now be played on the Friday of state tournament week, the IHSAA announced Tuesday.

The IHSAA Board of Control approved a revised state tournament schedule that condenses the tournament from six days to five, still at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

This year's tournament is March 5-9. Each day will be considered a single session, meaning a ticket is good for each game.

'Our goal in moving the state basketball tournament to a five-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,' IHSAA Executive Director Alan Beste said in a statement.

Monday and Tuesday will both feature seven games, while six games will be played each of the next three days.

Championship games in the smaller two classes are moved up a few hours Friday to 2 p.m. (1A) and 3:45 p.m. (2A). 3A and 4A championship games are now Friday night instead of Saturday, with 3A beginning at 6:30 p.m. and 4A at 8:15 p.m. It's the first time the tournament is not scheduled to end on a Saturday.

'We believe we can create more of a championship environment by playing all championship games on the same day – Championship Friday,' Beste said.

Consolation games will remain. 1A and 2A will take place Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., with 3A and 4A following Friday at the same times.

The IGHSAU hosts the five-class girls' state basketball tournament in six days at the same venue, but without consolation games.