I think that I might've brought this topic up before, but year after year during post-season play, it still makes me wonder.

 

Not exactly sure how I'm going to explain this without writing too much... but here goes.

 

I have a theory that all 4 district championship games within a region should be scheduled on the same night, and at the same time. Why? As petty and ridiculous as it might sound, because since the Regional tourney is seeded with Champions from one district facing Runner-ups from another district, then if games are all played simultaneously you never add the possible element of teams losing on purpose to increase their chances of staying away from certain teams that they'd like to avoid in the first round of a Regional tourney because perhaps they don't match up well with them.

 

I'll use the 9th Region as an example. It seems that in recent years the 9th will typically have perhaps 3 championship games (district 33, 34, & 35) played on Friday night with district 36 played on a Saturday night. This year the 36th championship game will be held on Thursday night with the other 3 districts on Friday. Lets say hypothetically, but most likely that the Thursday championship game in the 36th is between Newport and Newport Catholic with NewCath being the favorites. Let's assume that Newport upsets NewCath placing NewCath as now a Runner-up in the seeding selection for the Regional tourney. In the other districts you have Cooper, Dixie, and Holmes as the favorites and their championship games are on Friday night. Now some might say there are too many variables in play here that each team will just go ahead and play their best and let the chips fall where they may, but something could fall into either Cooper, Dixie, or Holmes' mind that if they happen to lose they can be for certain to at least avoid NewCath in the first round of the Regional.

 

In the last few years 3 games were in the can on Friday night giving whoever was playing in the 36th championship game something to think about in relationship to what their regional tourney first round games might be considering if they win or lose. I'm not gonna go back and do the research, but there have been some crazy upsets on a Friday night that always made me wonder if the teams playing on Saturday night would take this into consideration and possibly open up the chance of them thinking that it might be beneficial for them to throw a game in the district championship game to increase their chances of more favorable match ups heading into a regional tourney.

 

Whether or not you follow or agree with my thinking on this, hopefully I've explained it well enough so that what I'm getting at makes sense.

 

I'd be interested in hearing what others think about this. Am I making sense, or am I all wet?

Edited February 15, 201313 yr by B-Ball-fan

Makes perfect sense. This would be something that I think a few coaches might look at for the reasons that you stated.

Not only do you make sense why not take it one step beyond? If I knew NewCath lost district final on Thursday to Newport by 1 and lets say one of their bigs did not play due to illness and the other only played less than 15 minutes due to foul trouble and fouled out in the third quarter.................and my leading scorer has a touchy ankle from 2 weeks ago ........I think I'm very careful with him and if he only plays 20 minutes and we lose the district final ummmm okay that's better than him playing 32 minutes and winning by 1 and having his ankle swell up on Saturday and having a 1 in 3 chance of drawing NewCath in round 1.

Not only do you make sense why not take it one step beyond? If I knew NewCath lost district final on Thursday to Newport by 1 and lets say one of their bigs did not play due to illness and the other only played less than 15 minutes due to foul trouble and fouled out in the third quarter.................and my leading scorer has a touchy ankle from 2 weeks ago ........I think I'm very careful with him and if he only plays 20 minutes and we lose the district final ummmm okay that's better than him playing 32 minutes and winning by 1 and having his ankle swell up on Saturday and having a 1 in 3 chance of drawing NewCath in round 1.

 

I see what you are saying. I originally hadn't even thought of these things... Ultimately not having all district championships games played at the same time opens the door to things that wouldn't exist if they were just all just played simultaneously... I just worry that it could create a bit of inequality that could easily be avoided.

I think it probably depends most on how much the individual school values a district championship.

I think that I might've brought this topic up before, but year after year during post-season play, it still makes me wonder.

 

Not exactly sure how I'm going to explain this without writing too much... but here goes.

 

I have a theory that all 4 district championship games within a region should be scheduled on the same night, and at the same time. Why? As petty and ridiculous as it might sound, because since the Regional tourney is seeded with Champions from one district facing Runner-ups from another district, then if games are all played simultaneously you never add the possible element of teams losing on purpose to increase their chances of staying away from certain teams that they'd like to avoid in the first round of a Regional tourney because perhaps they don't match up well with them.

 

I'll use the 9th Region as an example. It seems that in recent years the 9th will typically have perhaps 3 championship games (district 33, 34, & 35) played on Friday night with district 36 played on a Saturday night. This year the 36th championship game will be held on Thursday night with the other 3 districts on Friday. Lets say hypothetically, but most likely that the Thursday championship game in the 36th is between Newport and Newport Catholic with NewCath being the favorites. Let's assume that Newport upsets NewCath placing NewCath as now a Runner-up in the seeding selection for the Regional tourney. In the other districts you have Cooper, Dixie, and Holmes as the favorites and their championship games are on Friday night. Now some might say there are too many variables in play here that each team will just go ahead and play their best and let the chips fall where they may, but something could fall into either Cooper, Dixie, or Holmes' mind that if they happen to lose they can be for certain to at least avoid NewCath in the first round of the Regional.

 

In the last few years 3 games were in the can on Friday night giving whoever was playing in the 36th championship game something to think about in relationship to what their regional tourney first round games might be considering if they win or lose. I'm not gonna go back and do the research, but there have been some crazy upsets on a Friday night that always made me wonder if the teams playing on Saturday night would take this into consideration and possibly open up the chance of them thinking that it might be beneficial for them to throw a game in the district championship game to increase their chances of more favorable match ups heading into a regional tourney.

 

Whether or not you follow or agree with my thinking on this, hopefully I've explained it well enough so that what I'm getting at makes sense.

 

I'd be interested in hearing what others think about this. Am I making sense, or am I all wet?

This.

 

I think it probably depends most on how much the individual school values a district championship.

And this.

 

And I agree with you B-Ball-Fan, all the district finals should be played at the same time on the same night.

This.

 

 

And this.

 

And I agree with you B-Ball-Fan, all the district finals should be played at the same time on the same night.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see this happen at the high school level. I've seen it happen over and over in AAU- tanking games to get in the bracket opposite of the favorite.

Although I understand the thinking and even the possibility, I don't think most coaches would do it. I imagine the coaches know you probably have to beat NCC to win the region. Therefore, you will have to play them anyway to win it. To a coach it probably doesn't matter that much if you play them in the first round or finals. I might want to play them when I'm a little more rested than the 3rd possibly tough game in a week. There also is the integrity of the game. Most coaches would adhere to that. I can't imagine, if I were coach, trying to tank a game. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't face my kids and say let's take the easiest route possible. Most kids want to play to win as do their coaches.

I think it probably depends most on how much the individual school values a district championship.

 

Great point. For some schools, winning a district title is a great accomplishment while others focus on the bigger picture.

This definitely happens in AAU Tournamnets, however, I believe at the high school level Coaches want to win the District Championship...anything is possible in the Regional Tournaments whether you are facing favorites NewCath or Trinity!

Although I understand the thinking and even the possibility, I don't think most coaches would do it. I imagine the coaches know you probably have to beat NCC to win the region. Therefore, you will have to play them anyway to win it. To a coach it probably doesn't matter that much if you play them in the first round or finals. I might want to play them when I'm a little more rested than the 3rd possibly tough game in a week. There also is the integrity of the game. Most coaches would adhere to that. I can't imagine, if I were coach, trying to tank a game. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't face my kids and say let's take the easiest route possible. Most kids want to play to win as do their coaches.

 

I agree with everything you are saying but if you can avoid NCC out of the gate you give chance that some other team might be able to take them down, and then you might match up better later on with that 'some other team'... I don't know what's worse: 1 game in the can then 3 more on Friday or 3 games in the can then 1 game on Saturday. In recent past the Saturday game really seemed like it could've benefitted teams in the 36th playing on Sat. because they had more to go on with already knowing who the champs and runner-ups were in all the other districts. I just think that it would be extremely easy to have them all played on the same night to avoid any possibility of the inequality that I suggest etc...

If I was a coach I really would not play any of my players that was not 100% in the district final. Because knowing I have 3 more games on a a college length floor (in the 9th) in the next week the District Championship is not that important.

 

Another thought on not playing the District Finals on the same night..........allows for scouting opportunities by the teams that have already played.

If I was a coach I really would not play any of my players that was not 100% in the district final. Because knowing I have 3 more games on a a college length floor (in the 9th) in the next week the District Championship is not that important.

 

Another thought on not playing the District Finals on the same night..........allows for scouting opportunities by the teams that have already played.

 

I do agree on the injury factor. It isn't worth the risk in most cases. Scouting at this point within the region is probably a little overrated. You have probably played them once or twice and seen them several times, you pretty much know the talent level and what they like to do. If I were the top teams I would get to the 6th Region to get more information on teams you know less about. You have to play them in the 1st Round at Rupp and you probably know less about them. I'd like to see at least them play two games. You canscout a district game and then probably at least the semis and finals of the region.