Section One Basketball Championships Return To Westchester County Center

 County Executive speaks at press conferenceWestchester County Executive George Latimer has announced the return of Section One Basketball Championships to the Westchester County Center.

Built almost 100 years ago, the storied Art Deco venue will once again host boys and girls semifinal and championship games from February 27 to March 5. This will be the first championship event at the County Center in nearly three full years.

Shortly after the final basketball game ended on March 8, 2020, the facility was transformed into a field hospital and mass vaccination site to accommodate patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the hallowed home of Section One High School basketball championship events has been restored to its former glory thanks to the efforts of countless people and organizations across the region, including the Westchester County Department of Parks and Recreation, whose members were in attendance for the long-awaited announcement.

“Many times as a teenager I came to this very building to see the very best basketball played on this court,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer. “If there is a message of what democracy is, this is it. This is not one person’s achievement—this is all of us together and if you remind yourself of that, then that’s the future we have in Westchester and all across the country.”

Todd Santabarbara, Executive Director of Section One Athletics and SWBOCES Director of Interscholastic Athletics, echoed Mr. Latimer’s sentiments and expressed his appreciation for the tournament’s return to the County Center.

“It is truly amazing to see the transformation that the Westchester County Center has undergone, said Mr. Santabarbara. “We remain focused on offering premier championship events for our student athletes, and being able to renew our partnerships with Westchester County reinforces the value that we place on collaboration to build the best possible championship experience for the student athletes and school communities within Section One.”  

The event concluded with players from the White Plains Girls Varsity Basketball team shooting hoops with members of the Westchester County Department of Parks and Recreation.

 Todd Santabarbara speaks at press conference