Image via flickr user franchise opportunities

A statewide basketball championship tournament set to take place in Lemoore this week will ban spectators over concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the formal name for the coronavirus.

The California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Basketball Championships for men and women are set for West Hills College Lemoore March 12-15. But based on recommendations from the Kings County Department of Public Health, no spectators will be allowed for the duration of the tournament.

The men’s and women’s quarterfinals round will feature teams from throughout the state, including College of the Sequoias in Visalia and Fresno City College.

“We truly regret having to make this decision and we understand how disappointing it is for the participating colleges, coaches, staff, spectators, and most importantly, the student athletes,” said Dr. Kristin Clark, president of West Hills College Lemoore. “We share in the disappointment, but we look forward to hosting top students athletes from around the state. We are committed to providing a high-quality event for the participating teams, and I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been impacted.”

A “tournament central” page has been established which has links to video streams for each game, as well as links for live and final stats, game recaps and photos. The page will be featured prominently on the following website: www.CCCAASports.org, as well as on the championship pages for both men’s and women’s basketball:

Men: https://www.cccaasports.org/sports/mbkb/Championships
Women: https://www.cccaasports.org/sports/wbkb/Championships

“The priority of West Hills and our member schools is the health and well-being of our student-athletes, campus communities, working and volunteer event personnel and all those who attend our intercollegiate athletic events and other campus events,” said Dr. Stuart Van Horn, chancellor of the West Hills Community College District. “With guidance from the Kings Country department of public health and in collaboration with state entities, a decision has been made to continue with the state championship games with no spectators in attendance. Only defined, official travel team staff, coaches, and players will be allowed in the Golden Eagle Arena for all games.”

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Basketball image above via https://www.franchiseopportunities.com/