UNC basketball scrimmage, originally planned for Cherokee, will now fund Helene relief

The North Carolina men’s basketball team’s Blue-White scrimmage, originally scheduled on Oct. 13 at Harrah’s Cherokee Hotel & Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina, has been relocated due to logistical concerns following Hurricane Helene.

The event will take place on Oct. 12 at the Smith Center, following UNC’s football game against Georgia Tech. The scrimmage will begin 45 minutes after the conclusion of the football game, which is scheduled for noon.

The event was originally going to be held off-campus to provide players more opportunities to promote and profit from their name, image and likeness. Now, following the damage caused by Helene, the scrimmage will function as a fundraiser to help those impacted by the storm.

“Our number one concern is the safety and well-being of the thousands of people who are affected by the storm and we didn’t want to add to their challenges by trying to play a basketball game in Cherokee at this time,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said in a statement. “We had some discussions about keeping the date to help restore some normalcy but there is nothing normal about the tragic circumstances people in the area are facing every day. We plan to bring our team to Harrah’s and Cherokee another time when the conditions are right.”

Tickets for the scrimmage are $10, with proceeds going to hurricane relief. Those who previously purchased tickets for the Cherokee event can attend for free. UNC students can attend with a One Card at no extra cost.

Davis likened the event in Cherokee to barnstorming games he participated in as a former player at UNC.

“We would go play games all around the state and the reason why we would do it is not everyone had an opportunity to come to the Smith Center,” he said. “So why not do it in the preseason? It gives us an opportunity to travel around the state and for North Carolina fans to be able to see us who can’t make it all the way down here.”

Davis said the Tar Heels will look for similar preseason opportunities in the future.

Following the Oct. 12 scrimmage, the Tar Heels play a preseason game against the Memphis Tigers on Oct. 15 at FedEx Forum, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU, with all proceeds directed to St. Jude.

The Tar Heels will also host Johnson C. Smith at the Smith Center in an exhibition on Oct. 27, and their regular season begins on Nov. 4 at home against Elon.

This story was originally published October 4, 2024 at 12:32 PM.