The National
Collegiate Athletic Association, Degree Deodorant,
and the 2022 Men's Final Four Local Organizing Committee has recently begun
renovations of the basketball court at the Morris F. X. Jeff Sr. Park
Recreation Center, formerly known as Behrman Park Recreation Center, in New
Orleans as an element of the 2022 Men's Final Four Legacy Project.
"There will be a lot of hard work put into the
completion of the historic Morris F.X. Jeff Sr. Park Recreation Center as part
of the 2022 Men's Final Four Legacy Project, and we hope that New Orleans youth
and the community will have many years to come to enjoy the renovated
facility," NCAA Managing Director JoAnn Scott said in a press release.
"We thank NCAA corporate partner Unilever, its brand Degree Deodorant, and the
local workforce for their committed support with this project as the initiative
moves closer to completion."
The court will be fitted with brand-new scoreboards,
rims hoops, and wall pads in addition to the refurbished playing surfaces. The
space will also get a new floor and added finishing touches before revealing it
to the community in March, as well as a mural by New Orleans artists Alina
Allen and Matt Thompson. Ultimately, the final project will include a thorough
renovation of the gym with updates to the basketball goals, flooring, and more.
The site, which is located in Algiers, was chosen in
November 2021 due to its historical significance in the community. The
basketball court is the oldest New Orleans Recreation Department Commission
indoor sports facility, with the park it's located in being around since the
1940s. The park itself was named after Morris F.X. Jeff, Sr., a pioneer in
establishing recreational and educational programs for Black youth, who was
also the athletic director at Xavier University and the first African American
Director of NORD.
Plans to unveil the new, refurbished court are set in
late March as the 2022 Men's Final Four comes to New Orleans. The NCAA Men's
Final Four will be conducted in the Caesars Superdome on April 2 and 4, 2022.
For additional information on the
tournament schedule, times, and teams, visit ncaa.com.
