After eliminating spectators from the state boys and girls basketball championship tournaments, the governing body of scholastic sports in the state has canceled the remainder of the games.

"Given the rapidly changing circumstances and uncertainties facing our member schools, our student-athletes, our host facilities, and many others, we no longer see a viable path to the completion of the Group Championships on Saturday and Sunday,” the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association said Friday. The games will not be rescheduled.

“We understand that our decision will disappoint many, but believe it to be in the best interest of our student-athletes and all those involved with the games," the NJSIAA said.

The announcement was made after eight girls teams and two boys teams played in front of mostly-empty gyms on Thursday night.

The Manasquan boys team, which was scheduled to play Camden at the RWJ Barnabas Health Arena in Toms River, withdrew from the tournament "in consultation with our school physician," the school said on Twitter.

Thursday started with host sites refusing to host games, teams pulling out of the tournament and the NJSIAA mandating games be played with no fans in attendance. Hackettsown pulled out of the boys tournament, according to NJ.com.

According to MyCentralJersey reporter Greg Tufaro, South Brunswick schools were closed in response to two people in the town being evaluated for the coronavirus, but the team did not pull out of the tournament and even appealed the NJSIAA's decision to cancel its game rather than postponing it.

Nationally, the NCAA canceled the mens and women's basketball March Madness tournaments because of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

Material from the Shore Sports Network was used in this report.

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