New York High School Basketball Tournament Shifts to Three-Region Format

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The 2026 New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) boys basketball tournament will feature a new three-region format, marking a significant shift in the tournament's structure. The semifinal and championship games will be held at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton.

Why it matters

The move to a three-region format aims to create more competitive balance and reduce travel time for participating teams across the state. This change is part of NYSPHSAA's broader efforts to modernize its high school sports tournaments and adapt to evolving needs of student-athletes and programs.

The details

Under the new format, the NYSPHSAA boys basketball tournament will be divided into three regions - East, Central, and West. Teams will compete within their assigned regions for the right to advance to the semifinal and championship games in Binghamton. This new structure replaces the previous format that had teams competing across the entire state.

• The 2026 NYSPHSAA boys basketball tournament will be the first to feature the new three-region format.
• The semifinal and championship games will be held at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton in March 2026.

What’s next

NYSPHSAA officials will work with participating schools and regional athletic directors to finalize the details of the new three-region format in the coming months.