STATE JUCO BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BEGINS MARCH 2 AT CHIPOLA

The top 16 community college basketball teams in Florida will begin arriving in Marianna Tuesday for the Florida Junior College Men’s and Women’s State Basketball Tournament set for March 2-5 in Chipola College’s Milton H. Johnson Health Center.

Some 400 basketball players along with coaches, cheerleaders and fans will fill nearly 200 hotel rooms during the tourney. Teams will begin practice Tuesday in the Johnson Center and in local high school gyms. Each team is assigned a local host family to help with any need that may arise during the tournament.

Numerous Division I College coaches and recruiters also are expected to scout the talent in the competition. Tournament officials estimate that more than $250,000 will flow into the area during the tournament from food, lodging, recreation and incidental expenses.

Women’s action begins Wednesday, March 2, at 1 p.m., as Indian River takes on Central Florida. At 3 p.m., Pensacola meets Daytona. The 6 p.m. game features Northwest and St. Petersburg. Santa Fe and Miami Dade play in the 8 p.m. nightcap on Wednesday.

The men’s tournament tips off Thursday, March 3, at 1 p.m. as Central Florida takes on Brevard. At 3 p.m., Tallahassee takes on Polk. Chipola faces St. Petersburg in the 6 p.m. game. Palm Beach and Daytona meet in the 8 p.m. nightcap on Thursday.

Men’s and women’s semi-finals are set for Friday, March 4, with women’s games at 1 and 6 p.m. and men’s contests at 3 and 8 p.m. The State Championship title games are set for Saturday, March 5, with the women at 5 p.m., and the men at 7:30 p.m.

Waste Management is official host sponsor for the event. The Jackson County Tourist Development Council awarded a grant to help promote the tournament. The Florida Lottery is also a major sponsor of the event.

Tournament passes—$25 for adults and $15 for students—will get fans into all 14 exciting tournament games. Single session tickets—two games—are $10 each.

For ticket information, call 718-2220, or visit the official tourney web site at: www.chipola.edu