Section I heads back to County Center

On Monday, Jan. 30, Section I officials announced that, for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the boys and girls basketball playoffs would be heading back to the Westchester County Center. And while Championship Week once again becoming the marquee scholastic hoops event in the area, it’s also one more sign that, for our young student-athletes, things continue to trend towards normalcy after three years of disruptions.

The announcement came on Monday afternoon, confirming what many had been speculating for weeks; from Feb. 27 to March 5, the most famous arena in Westchester will play home to the semifinal and championship rounds of the Section I tournament, bringing back a tradition that has become an institution for local sports fans.

High School sports were suspended shortly after the conclusion of the 2020 tournament, and the last few years have seen the venue used as a vaccination site before closing for renovations that were necessary in order to allow the arena to hold a multitude of events .

In a statement released in conjunction with the announcement, Section 1 Chair Todd Santabarbara acknowledged the long road Section I basketball has taken to return to the County Center.

“It was truly amazing to see the transformation that the Westchester County Center has undergone; first, this storied space was converted into a medical facility as part of the greater effort to address the needs of our county in battling the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “Now, it is returning to once again serve as the premier venue to hold our Basketball Championships.”

Unsurprisingly, the news was met with enthusiastic support from the basketball community. Last year, the Section I tournament finals were held at Yorktown High School, which—while a serviceable venue—lacked the sense of history that permeates the County Center. Two years ago, the season ended with regional tournaments in lieu of a section-wide event.

Now, our student athletes will finally get the chance to shine on the biggest stage of all—most of them for the first time ever. And the promise of playing under those big lights has to serve as further inspiration for those teams hoping to vie for a Golden Ball.

But after the three-year hiatus, will the festivities at the County Center feel the same? It’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t.

As restrictions have have gradually loosened since the pandemic’s darkest days, each step towards normalcy has been met by an unmistakable joy. It only stands to reason then, that the crowds that will pour into the Westchester County Center next month will be loud, proud, and eager to cheer on their teams.

There may not be any “cheering in the press box”, as the adage goes, but I know I’ll be psyched to be there as well.

Now all we have to do is count down the days.