NJSIAA Bans Fans At Basketball Playoffs Amid Coronavirus Concerns

ROBBINSVILLE, NJ — New Jersey high school basketball playoffs set for Thursday evening will be played in empty gyms out of concerns over the spread of the new coronavirus, the state high school athletic association announced Thursday.

"Based on the CDC Mitigation Strategies and the current community transmission status as reported by the NJ Department of Health, upcoming boys and girls basketball championships events scheduled for tonight will be held under the governor’s mandate with only teams and essential staff – but no fans," the NJSIAA said in a statement.

Teams have the option to not play, the NJSIAA said, adding there will be no sanctions or penalties for those that choose to withdraw. Decisions regarding future games will be based on the most up-to-date CDC and NJ Department of Health data and guidelines, the NJSIAA said.

The Manasquan boys basketball team has taken that option, with the district announcing on Twitter that it has withdrawn from the tournament.

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Even media attending games are under restrictions that include a requirement for full-year NJSIAA credentials and barring pregame and postgame face-to-face interviews.

NJSIAA officials have not made any decisions about the spring sports season. Practices are underway, and the first games are scheduled for March 25 for boys and girls lacrosse, and April 1 for all other spring sports.

"At this stage, given there is no official interscholastic play, decisions regarding all co- and extracurricular activities – including practices and scrimmages – rest with individual school administrators," the NJSIAA said.

All NJSIAA events will continue to follow guidelines established by the CDC as they relate to mass gatherings and large community events. We continue to ask everyone to follow the prevention guidelines distributed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Individuals with symptoms that include fever, cough, and shortness of breath should stay home, while travelers returning from affected international locations should follow CDC guidance related to travel.

COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past. There were 29 cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey as of Thursday. One man, from Bergen County, has died. Read more: J Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know