“Facility changes are all just signs of growth and an investment into what we’re trying to do. I think all the way around, the guys will be excited to play on it. From the visual look of it, it has a little pop to it.””

Tigers headman, Cord Wright

BOONEVILLE, Miss. - The building at the heart of Hill Country basketball will greet fans with an altered look during the upcoming 2024-25 season.

Bonner Arnold Coliseum on the campus of Northeast Mississippi Community College received a new playing surface and subsequently a court redesign over the summer as part of its latest renovation.

“Facility changes are all just signs of growth and an investment into what we’re trying to do,” Tigers headman Cord Wright said. “I think all the way around, the guys will be excited to play on it. From the visual look of it, it has a little pop to it.”

The original maple wood floor, which was sent to Booneville by the J.W. Wells Lumber Company in Menominee, Mich., in the early 1950s, almost survived to its anticipated life expectancy of 75 years.

The details to the center court are similar to its predecessor. Both had three tones of gray, but the revision features a slightly darker shade inside the college three-point arc and the lane.

Northeast’s Tiger head logo is highlighted in the middle of the floor. It was also part of the previous design, but was faded into the background with an emboldened “NE” logo on top of it.

The sidelines continue to boast black-and-gray tiger stripes. The base lines have the text “Northeast” outlined in gold underneath the baskets, but each letter is filled with black paint unlike the most recent version.

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) logo is once again displayed twice on the newest edition. So, too, is the wording that recognizes the floor being named in honor of current Northeast president Dr. Ricky Ford.

Ford is Northeast’s all-time winningest coach regardless of sport with 588 victories over 30 seasons. His 1986-87 team captured what is still the only national championship in school history with a 68-64 triumph over St. Gregory’s (Okla.) College in the finals.

The improvements also benefit the volleyball program as well. The in-ground standard systems for the net were installed for the first time on Bonner Arnold Coliseum’s north and south courts.

This addition will allow the Lady Tigers to host future tournaments that require multiple courts. It will especially help during summer camps, including the team events for local high schools, and practice sessions.

“I’m so excited. This gives us more opportunities to spread the kids out,” said Lady Tigers head coach Brenda Mayes. “They can have a different net to work on setters at one place, hitters at another and passers at the other.”

Other upgrades to the historic gymnasium over the last 10 years include refurbished dressing rooms, three coaches offices, four state-of-the-art scoreboards and the Earline “Woodsie” Woods Hospitality Suite for members of Northeast’s 6th Man and Ace clubs.

The inaugural match on the newly minted wood is volleyball’s home opener on Tuesday, September 3 against Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) University’s junior varsity squad. The first basketball contests are set for late October as part of Northeast’s annual men’s preseason jamboree.

Bonner Arnold Coliseum, which opened its doors in the spring of 1952, averages between 80-100 basketball games each year between Northeast’s schedule plus middle school and high school tournaments.