Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Las Vegas High coach seeks new sites for zone tourney

Tom Farnsworth agrees that Durango High School has been a good site for the Southern AAA Zone Basketball Tournament. He'd just like to see other schools get a chance to host as well.

Farnsworth, head coach at Las Vegas High School and president of the Southern Nevada Basketball Coaches Association, sent a letter last month to Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association executive director Dr. Jerry Hughes, requesting the NIAA move the tournament out of Durango, which has held the event the past three years.

"The tournament should provide an equal opportunity for each team with no school receiving the home court advantage every game, every year, year after year," wrote Farnsworth.

"With the tournament scheduled for three consecutive years at Durango High School an uneven playing field has been created."

Farnsworth proposes the tournament be offered yearly on an alphabetical basis to zone schools with suitable gyms. If a school would choose to decline, the next on the list would get the opportunity.

According to Farnsworth, 14 of 16 zone coaches back his proposal, with Durango's Al La Rocque against and one undecided.

Zone athletic administrators are schedule to meet today, with Farnsworth's proposal one of the topics for discussion.

"I think if the athletic administrators listen to their coaches and look into this closely, it has a chance to go," Farnsworth said Tuesday.

In a return letter, Hughes said the matter is in the hands of the athletic administrators, and he would go along with whatever they decide.

"Please understand that I will respect the recommendations of this group," Hughes wrote. "I think we all agree that (Durango athletic administrator) Larry McKay does an excellent job. I am also aware that other administrators could do an excellent job given the opportunity to host the event."

McKay, who also runs summer and Christmas basketball tournaments at Durango, said he doesn't think the home court is a major issue, adding that three of the Trailblazers' five losses a year ago came at home.

"I don't think there's as big a home court advantage as people would like to think," McKay said.

"I really don't believe this is that big of a deal. It's not like anyone has to get on a plane and fly to Philadelphia -- they're only driving across town. Also, the configuration of our gym is pretty much like everyone else's. If there is an advantage it's only a slight one."

Though he has nothing but praise for the job McKay and his staff have done, Farnsworth said rotating tournament sites would give others the chance to shine.

"Larry does an excellent job running the tournament. I think everyone in town recognizes that. He's got more experience than anybody and he knows all the ins and outs. Having said that, I think there are a lot of others capable of doing it as well."

While he doesn't want the tournament to leave Durango, McKay said first and foremost he doesn't want the issue to become a source of bitter feelings.

"I enjoy doing it, and I have people here who like doing it as well," he said. "It's not the end of the world one way or the other for us. We just like having it here, and that's why we'd like to keep it."

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