That fiery House floor debate we’ve all been expecting on Gov. Mark Sanford’s bill giving tax breaks for private school tuition?

It’s going to be a day later than expected.

About a dozen House members signed up to play basketball in Raleigh against the Tar Heel state’s Legislature, so they have to leave early Tuesday.

That moves the debate to Wednesday.

S.C. lawmakers say they had been planning the game for two months — long before the tuition tax credit bill was scheduled to be debated.

The S.C. team has T-shirts, and the Tar Heels have reserved the coliseum in Raleigh and planned a reception.

“I asked that it be moved to accommodate members who want to play,” said the team captain Rep. Adam Taylor, R-Laurens. “I said if you can’t move it, we will cancel.

“We wish we could have gone ahead and (debated the bill) this week.”

The bill, called “Put Parents in Charge” by supporters, is perhaps the most controversial issue facing the Legislature this year. Lawmakers dealt it a blow this week when they delayed debate till Tuesday — now Wednesday.

Any bill that is approved by one chamber after May 1 must earn a two-thirds vote from the other chamber just to be heard this year. Many think it’s unlikely the bill will get two-thirds vote from the Senate.

“It’s past May 1, what does it matter?” Taylor said.

Team members represent both sides of the debate.

Denver Merrill, spokesman for a group lobbying for the bill, said he hopes they return united over more than basketball.

“Sooner or later they are gonna have to debate this bill. Hopefully, some of teamwork they display in their basketball game will carry over to the debate and help get (it) passed.”

Reach Talhelm at (803) 771-8339 or jtalhelm@thestate.com