Carlsbad and Artesia will renew their basketball rivalry this weekend with back-to-back games at The Cave in Carlsbad. Eddy County is now classified Green in the New Mexico Department of Health’s Red to Green Framework, which allows a 25 percent capacity for large entertainment venues and recreational facilities.
Carlsbad Athletic Director James Johns will have 425 tickets available for the games but only 175 will be available for purchase at the gate on Saturday. Johns sent 100 tickets to Artesia for its fans, adding when the Cavemen and Cavegirls travel to Artesia next week they will get a similar number from Artesia AD Cooper Henderson. Another 150 tickets will be put aside for family members of the Carlsbad players to purchase at the Carlsbad High Athletic Office this week.
On Saturday at 3:30 p.m. the gates will open and Carlsbad will sell the remaining 175 tickets in addition to the remaining 150 family reserved tickets. Johns noted there will be no in-and-out privileges for the game and if a spectator leaves, another ticket will be made available for purchase. Johns said he wants The Cave to be at max capacity for the games and doesn’t want the Cavegirls evening game to limit sales if seats are still available.
The Cavemen boys basketball team plays Artesia at 5:30 p.m. with the Cavegirls and Lady Bulldogs playing in the nightcap at 7 p.m.
Carlsbad-Centennial football tickets
For those interested in attending Carlsbad’s Bowl Game against Centennial on Saturday in Las Cruces, tickets can be purchased at the Athletic Office Thursday and Friday during normal school hours.
Matthew Asher can be reached at 575-628-5524, masher@currentargus.com or @Caveman_Masher on Twitter.