Tourney basketball games return to state fairgrounds

COLUMBUS — The OHSAA's expansion from four to seven divisions in boys and girls basketball means this season more venues will be needed to stage state tournaments. The Taft Coliseum at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds will host tourney games next February and March, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced Monday. The historic multipurpose arena on the state fairgrounds campus was one of several hosts of the OHSAA basketball state tournament from 1923 until the state tournament moved to St. John Arena in 1958. The fairgrounds coliseum then hosted district and regional tournament contests from 1959 through 2014. "We have been working with the Expo Center on this for quite a while and are so excited to make this announcement," OHSAA executive director Doug Ute said. "We are also excited to announce that girls basketball will now play tournament games at the Coliseum in addition to boys, which wasn't done before. Reaching the Fairgrounds Coliseum was the goal for so many schools in Central Ohio for decades, and we are thrilled that the Coliseum will be that destination once again." The Taft Coliseum is a 5,000-seat arena that has hosted countless basketball and ice hockey contests, along with hundreds of other events. "We are thankful for this great partnership with OHSAA," Ohio Expo Center Executive Director Adam Heffron said. "The Taft Coliseum is the perfect historic location to host postseason games, and we cannot wait to welcome players, coaches, families and fans back to the fairgrounds for years to come." The biggest tournament win — and shot — in St. Paul basketball history was inside the coliseum. In 1995-96 and 1996-97, the Flyers' boys team played in regional games at the arena. St. Paul beat Leesburg Fairfield and fell to Cardington-Lincoln in 1996, then returned the next season and beat Worthington Christian, 70-67, in a semifinal game. In the regional championship, Aaron Fries, the current St. Paul head baseball coach, made a 10-foot jumper with two seconds left to help the Flyers beat St. Henry, 62-60. It marks the lone state semifinal appearance for the boys or girls programs at the school. Margaretta girls coach Ray Neill has watched games at the coliseum. "It's a unique venue," he said. "I don't know what kind of improvements they've made, but it's exciting. I would prefer they would announce that they're using iconic St. John Arena." Beginning the week of February 17, the OHSAA will place selected girls and boys district and regional tournament games at the Taft Coliseum, which could also host state semifinal games. More information will be released in January. 2025 OHSAA Basketball Tournament Schedule Girls Basketball Tournament Draw – February 2 Sectional Tournaments – February 10-15 District Tournaments – February 17-22 Regional Tournaments – February 24-March 2 State Semifinals – March 3-9 State Finals – March 14-15 at University of Dayton Arena Boys Basketball Tournament Draw – February 9 Sectional Tournaments – February 17-22 District Tournaments – February 24-March 2 Regional Tournaments – March 3-9 State Semifinals – March 10-16 State Finals – March 21-22 at University of Dayton Arena