GALLERY: Legacy of basketball lives on in Algiers with new court through NCAA “Legacy Project”

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The countdown to the NCAA Men’s Final Four continues in New Orleans, and sponsors are making sure that even when the tournament leaves The Big Easy, the love of basketball will stay put for generations to come.

On Tuesday, March 29, officials with the NCAA alongside multiple community partners held a ribbon-cutting for a brand new court at historic Morris F. X. Jeff Sr. Park Recreation Center (formerly Behrman Park Recreation Center).

For more than 2 months, renovations have been underway in Algiers as part of the NCAA’s ‘Final Four Legacy Project.’ Projects included:

• New hoops, rims, scoreboards, and wall padding to the gymnasium
• Brand new flooring, clean spaces, and fresh coat of paint
• New rooms in the facility, including a fitness studio and electronics center
• A mural featuring local artists Alina Allen and Matt Thompson

Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting was capped off with a court dedication and of course, some time for local kids to try out the new facility.

Those at the dedication included:

• NCAA’s corporate partner, Degree Deodorant
• New Orleans City Councilmember Freddie King III
• The New Orleans Local Organizing Committee (NOLOC)
• Tulane University
• University of New Orleans
• The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation