Rock Hill and Northwestern boys’ basketball to play at Time Warner Cable Arena
Rock Hill and Northwestern boys’ high school basketball players have likely played on the court at Time Warner Cable Arena in downtown Charlotte in their dreams, or maybe with a video game console.
They’ll get the chance to do so in real life Dec. 28 when the two teams square off on the Charlotte Hornets’ home deck. The Bearcats and Trojans will meet in the afternoon before the Hornets host the Los Angeles Lakers that same night.
“I found out about this about a week or two ago and I thought to myself, ‘This is a blessing,’ ” said Rock Hill senior Andrew Barber. “I’m hyped to play the crosstown rival, especially in a place as Time Warner Arena.”
Both schools had post-Christmas tournaments canceled, including Northwestern’s Lindberg Moody tournament, which Northwestern coach John Bramlett plans to bring back in 2016. Rock Hill coach Eric Rollings started sniffing around for an alternative but most tournaments were filled up. Realizing Northwestern was in the same boat, he contacted Bramlett and then got in touch with the Hornets, knowing the NBA franchise allows a few schools each year to use their court for competitive games.
“We always try to take our kids somewhere after Christmas, let them play in some tournaments,” said Rollings. “It gives us the same thing against a good opponent and gives them a chance to play in a place that they may not ever get a chance to play in. It’s exciting for us, and hopefully the community as well.”
Bramlett, a huge Los Angeles Lakers fan since 1978, coached Northwestern’s girls for eight years until taking the boys’ job earlier this fall. He’d previously coached the Trojans at Time Warner Cable Arena when they played there in the mid-2000s against Nation Ford.
“Just to walk into that coliseum,” said Bramlett, “it was an awesome experience.”
Bret McCormick: 803-329-4032, @RHHerald_Preps
Want to go?
The tickets – $26 – include admission to the Rock Hill-Northwestern game, set for 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 28, as well as that night’s Hornets-Lakers game. Tickets are available through the Rock Hill athletic department, at 803-981-1344, or Northwestern’s, at 803-981-1989.
This story was originally published October 14, 2015 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Rock Hill and Northwestern boys’ basketball to play at Time Warner Cable Arena."