TU's Reynolds Center gets new court
BY BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Friday, October 05, 2012
10/05/12 at 6:01 AM
After 14 seasons of wear and tear, the Reynolds Center's original playing surface was removed and replaced on Thursday.
During the 2012-13 basketball season, the University of Tulsa men's and women's teams will play on a new white-maple court. Although the $120,000 court essentially is new, it was used for three games during this year's NCAA Women's Tournament regional at Raleigh, N.C.
TU purchased the new court - which measures at 75 feet by 120 feet - from the Connor Sports Flooring company. The court was manufactured in Michigan, used for one week in North Carolina and delivered to Tulsa in 360 sections, each measuring four feet by eight feet. Assembly was tantamount to building a puzzle.
Explaining the decision to purchase a new floor, TU associate vice president Terry Hossack said, "The wood will last forever. You see that at (Oklahoma State's Gallagher-Iba Arena). What changes is the condition of the support system under the surface. For about two years, we've been toying with changing the court out. The timing was right and we made it happen."
Women's coach Matilda Mossman and men's coach Danny Manning were involved in the design of the new Reynolds Center floor. The Tulsa script logo is painted at midcourt, and there is a Conference USA logo at each foul line. Last season, the midcourt area was adorned with hurricane flags.
"We didn't want to trick it up," Hossack said. "We wanted a real clean look."
During the 2011-12 season, TU enhanced the Reynolds Center with a new sound system and a $2 million video scoreboard. The video screen measures 30 feet by 15 feet. Its predecessor measured nine feet by seven feet.
The Hurricane's old basketball court was purchased by the One Hope Tulsa ministry. The court will be installed in the One Hope Tulsa's facility - the Tulsa Rose Bowl Sports, Educational and Leadership Training Center on 11th Street. The building formerly was the Rose Bowl bowling center.
The One Hope Tulsa president is Rex Blankenship and the executive director is Joe Blankenship. Rex and Joe are the brothers of TU football coach Bill Blankenship.
Original Print Headline: TU gets new home court
Bill Haisten 918-581-8397
bill.haisten@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
The new basketball floor is being installed by Praters Athletic Flooring of Chattanooga, Tenn., inside the Reynolds Center. TOM GILBERT/Tulsa World
|
