ECC announces plans for basketball season
The Eastern Connecticut Conference is moving forward with plans for a high school basketball season.
If COVID-19 allows, the league would offer a 15-game regular season, preceding an ECC Tournament and championship games to be played either Feb. 2 or 3 at Mohegan Sun Arena. It is unclear at this time whether fans would be allowed at any regular season games or the finals at the casino.
A CIAC-sanctioned state tournament would follow with more details forthcoming.
Scheduling would consist of league or regional games only with no opportunity to play out-of-state schools.
ECC basketball chairman Jim Buonocore, the assistant principal/athletic director at Ledyard, said Thursday it is unclear whether basketball players would need to wear masks. The Department of Public Health recently deemed basketball a "moderate risk" sport — the same as volleyball — although volleyball players and coaches are required to wear masks during competition.
"Right now, CIAC has indicated to all leagues to move forward with regional alignment and scheduling for the winter season," Buonocore said. "Regarding basketball, they never mentioned masks. I believe each league will need to take into consideration mitigating factors in order to have a season, but we are not getting any mandate from CIAC at this time about masks for basketball. We are beginning to look at league policies and procedures for the winter, bubble placements for league member schools, scheduling and league tournament opportunities."
The ECC played its boys' and girls' Div. I and II league championship games at Mohegan Sun Arena in February.
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