Marysville-Pickerington Central girls basketball regional final moved to Otterbein
Friday’s Division I girls basketball regional final has been moved to Otterbein’s Rike Center from Westerville North.
The game between Pickerington Central (23-5) and Marysville (25-2) will tip off at 7 p.m.
North athletic director Wes Elifritz confirmed the move to The Dispatch on Wednesday after both of Tuesday night’s regional semifinals featured overflow crowds in that school’s gymnasium. Capacity is approximately 1,600.
The Rike Center seats 3,100, according to Otterbein’s website.
Regional semifinals: Marysville beats Westerville South, Pickerington Central defeats Dublin Coffman
Otterbein hosted the regional for many years but has not done so since 2020. Westerville South then became the host site and was to have been so this year, but because South advanced to the regional, Ohio High School Athletic Association rules prevented the games from being played there.
During South’s 46-38 loss to Marysville in Tuesday’s first semifinal, a lack of available seats led to dozens of fans sitting or standing in aisles and media members crowding the baselines.
Marysville is seeking its first regional championship. Central is vying for its first trip to state since 2019 and 14th overall.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Division I girls basketball regional final moved to Otterbein
