ROBBINSVILLE — Think about a New Jersey state highschool basketball workforce, corresponding to Camden and its high recruit D.J. Wagner, going through a state champion from one other state in a match on nationwide tv.
It might occur this season.
The NJSIAA govt committee unanimously handed on first studying Wednesday a proposal that will permit New Jersey state girls and boys basketball champions, if invited, to take part within the Paragon ESPN State Champions Invitational.
The eight-team, single-elimination match will likely be held April 6-8 at a location to be decided. It is just open to colleges that win state championships and are members of the Nationwide Federation of State Excessive Faculty Affiliation. The New Jersey Basketball Coaches Affiliation championed the proposal Wednesday.
“It might be a once-in-a-lifetime alternative for these youngsters and groups,” stated Hackettstown Excessive Faculty athletic director Bobby Grauso, who’s a member of the coaches affiliation. “We might solely have a number of groups over the course of a decade that will likely be chosen,”
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The NJSIAA govt committee must move the proposal on second studying in January for it to enter impact this season.
All match video games can be proven on one of many ESPN networks. The NJSIAA would obtain $2,500 annually from Paragon and ESPN simply to permit New Jersey groups to be picked for the occasion. If a New Jersey faculty is chosen, the NJSIAA would obtain one other $7,500.
The faculties would additionally obtain funds if they’re picked. The match would cowl all bills for the colleges. Faculties which can be picked to play would additionally obtain $2,500. Patrick Brunner, the athletic director at Morris Knolls and a member of the Basketball Coaches Affiliation, emphasised that New Jersey faculties shouldn’t have to play if chosen. The occasion started final yr with 4 boys and 4 ladies groups taking part.
“This isn’t some renegade occasion,” Brunner stated.
Below the proposal authorised on first studying Wednesday, the New Jersey basketball season would proceed to finish in early March with the state championships. If a workforce is chosen for the match, it will be allowed to carry six practices earlier than the occasion. The workforce’s coach would even be permitted to educate. New Jersey at the moment bans coaches from working with their groups out of season.
NJSIAA govt director Colleen Maguire urged govt committee members to perform a little research and get some suggestions earlier than voting in January.
“That is the course the place highschool sports activities goes,” Grauso stated. “However I additionally suppose this suits within the mission for the NJSIAA.”
In different information Wednesday, the NJSIAA introduced the state boys workforce wrestling championships will likely be held Feb. 12 at Rutgers College.