The RIIL and Amica Mutual Pavilion announced today that the finals of the RIIL Boys & Girls Divisional Basketball Championships will be played, March 4-6, at the AMP in Downtown Providence. The slate will comprise seven championships – Boys Divisions I, II and III and Girls Divisions I, II, III and IV.

“We are excited that the Road to the Ryan Center for the Credit Union State Championships will also now include a stop in Providence at the AMP for the RIIL Boys & Girls Divisional Championship games,” RIIL Executive Director Mike Lunney said at a Friday morning press conference.

“Through a coordinated effort between the RIIL, [AMP General Manager] Larry Lepore, [Rhode Island Convention Center Authority Executive Director] Dan McConaghy and their staff over the last couple of years, we worked through some significant logistical challenges,” Lunney said. “Ultimately, thanks to everyone’s persistence and especially thanks to the support of our friends at Amica Mutual, we’re happy to say that the RIIL Boys and Girls High School Basketball Division Championships are coming back to Providence.”

From 1981 to 2004, the Providence Civic Center was the home of the RIIL Boys and Girls Division Basketball Championships.

“During those 23 years, high school basketball players across the state dreamed of having the opportunity to play at this great facility,” Lunney said. “I had the opportunity to take two teams to the Civic Center as head coach of the Portsmouth High School boys basketball team in 1996 and 1997. So I know how special this experience is for kids.”

Quarterfinal round games will be played Feb. 26 and 27 at the home sites of higher-seeded teams.

The semifinal rounds will be played March 1-3 at East Providence High School, Cranston East High School, Cumberland High School and Rhode Island College.

The Divisional Finals will then be played over a three-day period at the AMP beginning on March 4 with the title games for Girls Division IV (4 p.m.), Girls Division III (6 p.m.) and Boys Division III (8 p.m.). The Girls Division III (6 p.m.) and Boys Division III (8 p.m.) championship games will be played on March 5. The Girls Division I (6 p.m.) and Boys Division I (8 p.m.) finals will be played on March 6.

“We look forward to putting on a first-class event,” said Lunney. “And I know that there is tremendous excitement among our 102 boys and girls high school basketball teams, who have been battling it out all season long for the chance to create their own special memories on the court right here at the AMP.”

Friday’s press conference also included a special dedication of the Media Room at the AMP in memory of late Providence Journal sports columnist Bill Reynolds. Larry Lepore, who had lobbied for the dedication of the room, and Reynolds’ former Journal colleague Kevin McNamara offered a tribute to Bill, who was a sports columnist at the ProJo for nearly 40 years and also authored several award-winning books. Governor Dan McKee signed the Bill making the media room dedication official, as Bill Reynolds’ longtime partner Liz Abbott looked on.

“I think it’s only fitting, too, that we’re going to be honoring Bill Reynolds because as we all know . . . Bill Reynolds was synonymous with basketball, and he definitely had an affinity for high school basketball,” Lunney added. “For someone that grew up in the East Bay, I know he’s a Barrington guy and I crossed paths with him a lot. He knows what a special experience this is, so I think combining this press conference together is an important thing. You knew - and kids knew - that when he showed up to one of your games, it was a big game. So when he was covering it, it was a big deal. Definitely a great opportunity for us to recognize and remember Bill.”