KU’s Armed Forces Classic game in Hawaii moved from hangar to arena

There’s little to no chance this year’s Armed Forces Classic basketball game between Kansas and Indiana will be called at halftime because of slippery conditions on the court.

ESPN announced Thursday that the Nov. 11 doubleheader that matches the Jayhawks and Hoosiers around 8:30 p.m. Central — 30 minutes after a 6 p.m. contest between Michigan State and Arizona — would be moved from a hangar at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to the University of Hawaii’s Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.

A year ago, the Armed Forces Classic game between Pitt and Gonzaga was called off after 20 minutes because of players sliding on a temporary court at humid Camp Foster in Okinawa, Japan.

Sheriff Center, which seats 10,300 fans, is air conditioned. The Pearl Harbor hangar, which would have been configured to seat a few thousand spectators, is not. Had the games been played there, however, ESPN would have contracted for A/C.

“I think the thing Stan Sheriff provided with respect to the larger capacity, not having to build it out, made it a simple decision because of the air conditioning,” Clint Overby, vice president of ESPN Events told The Star. “Ultimately the capacity we were going to be able to build out (by constructing bleachers at the hangar) wasn’t going to meet the demands of the ticket gate. That’s what made the decision probably more than anything else.”

Currently, ESPN is working with the Navy on the number of tickets needed for military personnel. Once that number is established, “then we’ll work on trying to identify the rest of the ticket blocks,” Overby said.

There’s a chance the four schools ultimately will receive some tickets to sell to fans. Earlier, KU’s Williams Fund obtained a limited number. There also could ultimately be tickets available for fans who live in Hawaii.

The Armed Forces Classic will be contested on Veterans Day — days before the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

“ESPN is honored to continue the tradition of the Armed Forces Classic,” Overby said in a release. “We celebrate the men and women of the Navy in Hawaii as well as those who serve around the world. We are excited to stage the event in conjunction with the leadership at Pearl Harbor and feel that the basketball venue at the Stan Sheriff Center provides a great backdrop for these great teams.”

Recruiting updates

Today, KU coaches will visit Trae Young, a 6-1 senior combo guard from Norman (Okla.) North High who is ranked No. 14 nationally by Rivals.com; 247sports.com says the Jayhawks staff will also pay a visit to Collin Sexton, a 6-1 senior point guard from Pebblebrook High in Mableton, Ga. who is ranked No. 7. Kentucky coaches will visit Young on Saturday. …

Matt Coleman, a 6-2 senior point gaurd from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., who is ranked No. 32 nationally, will make an official recruiting visit to KU on Oct. 14-16, according to Zagsblog.com. He will visit Duke on Sept. 16, Stanford on Sept. 30, Syracuse on Oct. 22 and Texas on Oct. 29.

This story was originally published September 8, 2016 at 7:01 PM with the headline "KU’s Armed Forces Classic game in Hawaii moved from hangar to arena."