Blue Lights College, the third seed in the 2024 NSAC Men’s Basketball Tournament beginning tomorrow, informed the conference on Thursday morning that it will not be making the trip to Newport News due to institutional reasons.

“I am extremely disappointed,” said conference commissioner Mike Davis. “Blue Lights was the first conference team to beat Apprentice in the past two years, and they bring an exciting brand of basketball. Their absence will be felt. I’m particularly saddened that their outstanding players will not get the opportunity to battle for a championship. I am sorry they have not been set up for success.”

The Thoroughbreds’ scheduled quarterfinal game against Central International, scheduled for Friday at 6:00 pm, will be considered a forfeit, and the Cardinals will automatically advance to face Apprentice in Saturday’s semifinals.

Friday’s other quarterfinal, Atlantis versus Mid-Atlantic Christian, will go on as scheduled at 4:00 pm. All games will take place at the Apprentice Athletic Center in Newport News, Virginia.