Article on basketball divisions...

**imported_BleedingBlue** · January 3rd, 2008, 12:22 PM

From the KTN:

New divisional split doubles Group A hoops menu

After losing to Appalachia 37-34 in last weekend's Coal Classic girls finals, Rye Cove coach Jamie Carter thought highly of the 8-1 Lady Bulldogs' chances of making the Region D tournament.
"At the rate that they've gotten better, if they keep improving like they are, I fully believe that they'll be there,"? Carter said. "I just hope that we can make it."?
Rye Cove , a Cumberland District program, was in last year's Region D tourney. Appalachia, a Lonesome Pine District program, hasn't been a regional contender since 2001. Odds are good that both will make it this year. Both are Division 1 teams.
Prior to this season, divisional status had no application outside of football. But in 2007-08, Group A basketball is serving as the VHSL's guinea pig in an effort to determine whether or not this is a good thing for basketball in all classifications across the state.
Since basketball is a revenue-generating sport, doubling the postseason playing field is quite likely to result in even higher revenues. Is that a good thing? You tell me.
In all fairness, the divisional breakdown probably does serve to address the size disparities that are often felt so acutely at the Group A level "? within the confines of a given region, at least.
Statewide disparities remain significant. For example, the smallest Division 1 basketball program in Region B
(Rappahannock, 341 average daily membership) is larger than the biggest Division 1 basketball school in Region D (Haysi, 280 ADM). Does this sound familiar?
Despite such obvious imperfections, this expanded Region D tournament format will indeed provide more opportunities for players, and for fans. Many more basketball games will be played "? almost enough basketball to choke a pig, some might say.
The Division 2 teams include Virginia High, Lee High, Gate City, John Battle, Lebanon, Powell Valley, J.J. Kelly and Honaker. Coeburn, Clintwood and Castlewood "? all three of which received special Division 1 dispensations for football "? get no such slack for basketball. They'll also play in Division 2.
Division 1 includes Haysi, Pound, Thomas Walker, Rye Cove, Appalachia, Twin Valley, Twin Springs, J.I. Burton, Hurley, Ervinton, St. Paul and Council.
On the Sunday after the completion of district tournaments, the Region D basketball tournament selection committee will meet to seed the four eight-team brackets, including boys and girls, based on a points system.
Automatic berths are assigned to regular season champions and district tournament champions. If regular season and district tournament champs are the same, district tournament runner-ups also garner automatic berths. On the opposite end of things, the last place team in the regular-season standings must finish in the top three in the district tournament to meet minimum requirements for regional play.
For seeding purposes, teams will be awarded points for regular-season order of finish (16 points for first, 12 for second, nine for third, six for fourth and three points for fifth through seventh) and for district tournament order of finish (12 points for first, 10 for second, nine for third, six for fourth and three for fifth through seventh).
Take note: this means that district tournaments will now include consolation matchups which are quite meaningful.
Of course, there are tiebreakers in place for both the regular-season ranking process and the regional seeding process. And play-in games are not entirely ruled out.
The regional tournament week tentatively will begin Tuesday, Feb. 26, with girls Division 1 and Division 2 quarterfinals played at satellite sites, with the higher seed hosting. Boys quarterfinals will follow the same format the next day.
Girls semifinals will be played Thursday, Feb. 27 at Castlewood and/or Lebanon high schools with the boys semifinals set for Feb. 28 at the same sites. The boys and girls region championships "? that's four games, folks "? will be played at Virginia High on Saturday, Feb. 29. The following week, eight teams from the region will advance to the expanded Group A state tournament, culminating with the semifinals and finals in Richmond.
It's going to be different. It's going to be hectic. But it ought to be, for the most part, fun.

**cvcgrad** · January 3rd, 2008, 12:38 PM

I can see both positives and negatives of having divisions in basketball.

If I understand correctly, almost every team in Region D will be in the tournament. If so, it kind of makes the district tournaments pointless.

**imported_Sportsman** · January 3rd, 2008, 12:47 PM

No, not every team, 16 out of the 23 will qualify.

**cvcgrad** · January 3rd, 2008, 01:13 PM

That only leaves 7 teams who won't make the regional tournament.

So, what purpose does the district tournament serve other than establishing seeding for the regional tournament?

**imported_BleedingBlue** · January 3rd, 2008, 01:47 PM

No it will still play a role in who gets into the regional tourney.. If you finish at the bottom of your district in the regular season, you can do well in the district tourney and get in. Heck if you finish last in the regular season you could get an automatic bid by winning the district tourney.

**cvcgrad** · January 3rd, 2008, 02:18 PM

What would happen if a team did well during the regular season but didn't do well in the district tournament?

Could they still get in the regional tournament?

**imported_BleedingBlue** · January 3rd, 2008, 02:32 PM

Oh yeah.. The winner of the regular season gets an automatic bid.. But say the runner up in the regular season has a terrible district tourney and finishes last in it.. Most likely they would still make regions because the regular season carries more weight points wise than the district tourney.

**pvfan** · January 3rd, 2008, 02:53 PM

How important are these games outside of conference play? For instance how big was the PV win over Lee and how bad was bad was the PV loss to Twin Springs? Or are they just going to seed based on how you fare in the district. To me that would be a bad idea because to me 3 of the best D2 teams in the area are in the CMD.

**imported_Sportsman** · January 3rd, 2008, 03:00 PM

Non-district contests don't figure in the point system.

**pvfan** · January 3rd, 2008, 03:04 PM

Terrible system then, if I was Lebanon or VA High I'd be pretty upset about this system. You put either one of those teams in the LPD and I'm betting they win it. Works out pretty good for PV though, maybe they can catch fire when Myron gets back and if it things fall in their favor they could be sitting with the same seed as GC. A team that beat them by over 40.