The question we have fielded the most this week does not concern our astute choice of Georgetown as NCAA champ (ahem); rather, people near and far want to know: are they really playing part of the boys’ state basketball tournament at Mariucci Arena? The answer is, for the 17th time, yes. The winner’s bracket of the four-class tourney is typically split between Target Center and Williams Arena, but because of Easter the boys’ basketball tournament is a week later than usual this year. And because of that, Williams Arena was already booked — with a robotics convention. So today and tomorrow, while mechanical arms and the like take over one of the more hallowed basketball arenas in the country, the hoopsters in Class 1A, 2A and 3A will play quarterfinals at a hockey rink. Interestingly, Ellsworth’s Cody Schilling needs 23 points to break the state’s all-time scoring record. And he could very well do it at Mariucci Arena on Thursday in the 1A quarterfinals. We don’t know much about the logistics, though we imagine the boards will stay up. Putting a court down is not as hard as one might think — think about multi-use arenas like Madison Square Garden that are constantly reconfiguring for hockey played by the Rangers and the Isiah Thomas-led basketball-like substitute played by the Knicks. We just know it’s going to be weird. Unfortunately for the public, all the games there are quarterfinals and therefore aren’t televised (the semis and finals in all classes are on Ch. 45). So if you are really curious, head on down, bring your Pride on Ice, and watch some hoops at Mariucci starting at 10 a.m. today.

Fasola-link! Depressed because your basketball teams stink, your baseball team doesn’t have any pitching, your hoc-key teams are doomed, and your football team is excited to sign a guy named Sapp whose first name ain’t Warren? Well, cheer up. Always look on the bright side of life.

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