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02-13-2012, 09:27 PM
The District 14 girls' basketball tournament will have a different look starting in 2013 after coaches voted Sunday to change from seedings determined by regular season records to a blind draw.
Coaches voted 3-2 in favor of the blind draw, with Greenwood, Warren East and South Warren voting for the change. Bowling Green and Warren Central voted against the proposal.
"I think it gives other teams in the district, especially us trying to rebuild and South Warren trying to start from scratch, a chance to be in a draw and be in a situation to have our girls fight for something and play for something - instead of knowing that we are going to be the fourth or fifth seed every year and go from there," Warren East coach Aaron Richmond said.
Greenwood coach Todd Tolbert explained his reason to change the format to a blind draw as a scheduling issue for some of the district teams.
"It had been brought to my attention that a couple of the schools in our district wanted a little bit of flexibility in their scheduling," Tolbert said. "Based on that, if I had voted for seeding, then a couple of the schools, particularly South Warren and Warren East, would have been forced to play each team in the district two times. I think it is not my role at Greenwood High School to force other schools to dictate how they schedule, who they schedule or how many times they play."
Bowling Green coach LaVonda Johnson was strongly opposed to the change. Under this format, a team like the Lady Purples, who have finished undefeated in district play the last four years, could be forced to play two games just to get to the district championship. Johnson is also concerned with how this will diminish, or perhaps eliminate, regular-season matchups.
"My first reaction is I'm concerned for our community," Johnson said. "My deepest concern is local rivalries and how it is important that we all continue to play. We support seeding because we feel regular-season games should have impact. We need to make healthy, competitive rivalries. The (revenue) from playing these games and the lessons these rivalries teach to young kids will be lost."
A proposal for a blind draw was also voted on by the boys' coaches, but the decision was 3-2 to stay with seedings. Bowling Green, Warren Central and Warren East voted to keep the format the same on the boys' side. South Warren and Greenwood voted to go to a blind draw.
District 14 boys' pairings sets
The pairings for next week's boys' District 14 Tournament at Warren Central High School were also determined Sunday, with Bowling Green drawing the No. 1 seed over Warren Central and Greenwood.
The three teams finished tied for first in the regular season, prompting Sunday's draw. Bowling Green will now meet the winner of the opening-round game between Warren East and South Warren at 7 p.m. Feb. 22.
"Being the one seed is just a number," BG coach D.G. Sherrill said. "I think whoever comes out the four-five game will give us fits. They are going to come to play. It will be the same quality of an opponent as the two-three game. We respect everybody in this district a lot. We know we are going to have our hands full."
Greenwood and Warren Central will now meet in the second semifinal game at 7 p.m. Feb. 23.
"We know regardless of who it was, it was going to be tough," WCHS coach William Unseld said. "The best thing about it is we are home. We have to prepare and watch as much film as we can, get the kids ready and see what we can come up with."
The Dragons and Gators split the regular-season meeting. Greenwood won 37-33 in January, while Warren Central beat the Gators 51-41 on Friday.
"It doesn't really matter," Greenwood coach Jason Stonebraker said. "Like we've talked about all year long, anybody in this district can win on any given night. Playing them on their home floor is a disadvantage for us. The ball is in their court. It's going to be a big game - as all of them are. We're just going to come out and give them the best shot that we've got."
http://www.bgdailynews.com/sports/distri...963f4.html
Coaches voted 3-2 in favor of the blind draw, with Greenwood, Warren East and South Warren voting for the change. Bowling Green and Warren Central voted against the proposal.
"I think it gives other teams in the district, especially us trying to rebuild and South Warren trying to start from scratch, a chance to be in a draw and be in a situation to have our girls fight for something and play for something - instead of knowing that we are going to be the fourth or fifth seed every year and go from there," Warren East coach Aaron Richmond said.
Greenwood coach Todd Tolbert explained his reason to change the format to a blind draw as a scheduling issue for some of the district teams.
"It had been brought to my attention that a couple of the schools in our district wanted a little bit of flexibility in their scheduling," Tolbert said. "Based on that, if I had voted for seeding, then a couple of the schools, particularly South Warren and Warren East, would have been forced to play each team in the district two times. I think it is not my role at Greenwood High School to force other schools to dictate how they schedule, who they schedule or how many times they play."
Bowling Green coach LaVonda Johnson was strongly opposed to the change. Under this format, a team like the Lady Purples, who have finished undefeated in district play the last four years, could be forced to play two games just to get to the district championship. Johnson is also concerned with how this will diminish, or perhaps eliminate, regular-season matchups.
"My first reaction is I'm concerned for our community," Johnson said. "My deepest concern is local rivalries and how it is important that we all continue to play. We support seeding because we feel regular-season games should have impact. We need to make healthy, competitive rivalries. The (revenue) from playing these games and the lessons these rivalries teach to young kids will be lost."
A proposal for a blind draw was also voted on by the boys' coaches, but the decision was 3-2 to stay with seedings. Bowling Green, Warren Central and Warren East voted to keep the format the same on the boys' side. South Warren and Greenwood voted to go to a blind draw.
District 14 boys' pairings sets
The pairings for next week's boys' District 14 Tournament at Warren Central High School were also determined Sunday, with Bowling Green drawing the No. 1 seed over Warren Central and Greenwood.
The three teams finished tied for first in the regular season, prompting Sunday's draw. Bowling Green will now meet the winner of the opening-round game between Warren East and South Warren at 7 p.m. Feb. 22.
"Being the one seed is just a number," BG coach D.G. Sherrill said. "I think whoever comes out the four-five game will give us fits. They are going to come to play. It will be the same quality of an opponent as the two-three game. We respect everybody in this district a lot. We know we are going to have our hands full."
Greenwood and Warren Central will now meet in the second semifinal game at 7 p.m. Feb. 23.
"We know regardless of who it was, it was going to be tough," WCHS coach William Unseld said. "The best thing about it is we are home. We have to prepare and watch as much film as we can, get the kids ready and see what we can come up with."
The Dragons and Gators split the regular-season meeting. Greenwood won 37-33 in January, while Warren Central beat the Gators 51-41 on Friday.
"It doesn't really matter," Greenwood coach Jason Stonebraker said. "Like we've talked about all year long, anybody in this district can win on any given night. Playing them on their home floor is a disadvantage for us. The ball is in their court. It's going to be a big game - as all of them are. We're just going to come out and give them the best shot that we've got."
http://www.bgdailynews.com/sports/distri...963f4.html
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02-15-2012, 02:05 AM
^
Its never a good thing.
Since when is punishing the better teams a good thing?
This is a simple way for those three schools to slide there way into region while the other two might have to fight it out in the first round, only for one of the other three to be blown out in region.
I dont understand why this is even allowed.
Its never a good thing.
Since when is punishing the better teams a good thing?
This is a simple way for those three schools to slide there way into region while the other two might have to fight it out in the first round, only for one of the other three to be blown out in region.
I dont understand why this is even allowed.
02-15-2012, 08:31 AM
Seeding takes some of the luck out of the draw and rewards a team for its work during the season. Blind draw - favored by the weak teams because it is probably the only way they advance if the top teams draw each other. Look at the State Tournament Sweet 16 this year. It's completely unbalanced with the top half of the bracket heavily loaded with the top ranked teams.
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