It looks like the new playoff format has received some blow back from coaches.
According to a MLive article written by Jared Purcell. He
mentioned that when the brackets were released on Sunday for the Girls
Basketball Districts. There was a knee-jerk reaction according to the written
article.
Probably the most critical is that the top two seeds do not
get byes in five, six, or seven team districts. Purcell said that coaches,
players, and fans took to social media and contacted the MHSAA to complain
about the new MPR format that decides the districts.
The MHSAA installed this new formula in May 2019 which is
very similar to seeding teams in the postseason but only the top two seeds are
seeded and is placed on the opposite side of the bracket while everyone else is
based on alphabet.
The new system was enacted so that the top two teams don’t
meet until the district finals.
The new system was used this season in Boys Soccer. The MPR
also used in Lacrosse but they seed EVERYONE and not just the top two
seeds.
According to Purcell, coaches were frustrated that they feel
that everyone should be seeded based on their MPR and the timing of when the
matchups were announced because there are critical games that are still to be
played at the end of the season.
Bottom line the Boys and Girls Basketball pairings are DIFFERENT,
NOT THE SAME.
The Boys Basketball pairings will be released next week.
My Initial Thoughts.
When the pairings were announced which involves OAA schools.
The team I immediately thought of was Troy. The Colts are a number one seed in
their district at Stoney Creek for Girls Basketball but they will have to play
a pre-district game on that Monday against a very good Utica team. The Chieftains
have had a good year thus far but because Utica is the B team in the district
based on the alphabet, that’s the matchup. The Chieftains also beat Troy in the
district final last season and return the majority of that team.
I wished the MHSAA would seed everyone and not just top two
seeds. It would make the most sense but there are those folks who don’t want that, it’s
a very divisive issue. The two biggest grievances that are out there is that the
MHSAA is should the top two seeds be given the byes but there are those that prefer
that the top two seeds should play on that Monday as some coaches have tweeted
it. It depends who you talk too on this matter. Also another issue is that the MPR
does NOT reward those teams who play a tough schedule. The new football playoff
format rewards teams that play a tough strength of schedule.
Let the debates began.
Here is the Jared Purcell article.
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