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It gave new definition to the phrase “yawner.”
Right in the middle of a recent Wyoming Valley Conference boys basketball game, a very well-known figure in local basketball circles started yawning. A lot.
When it comes to sports, “yawner” is a term usually used to describe a boring, lopsided athletic competition. In this case, it was a six-point game that will most likely go a long way in determining a second-half champion.
The score was also 23-17 with less than 12 minutes remaining.
I’m not sure if I could have performed enough CPR to resuscitate that game, but I have an idea I believe will help make the high school basketball regular season a little more exciting – for the players, coaches and fans.
Kiss the first and second half format goodbye.
The WVC is divided into four divisions with five teams each. The regular season is split into six- and seven-game halves. That means a “champion” is crowned after playing just six games. Special playoff games are frequently needed to determined half champions. Then more special playoff games are needed to determine overall champions.
How ridiculous.
Proponents of the season being divided into halves say the format gives teams that suffer early-season injuries or have players still on the football field in December an equal opportunity to win a championship.
Those reasons never held water with me.
Injuries are a part of all sports. And you don’t think wrestling teams have to wait sometimes before football players are finished? What about baseball teams that have players playing basketball into mid-March?
It’s also been argued having special playoff games for half and overall championships create more excitement for the league.
Really? Try telling that to those who witnessed the disappointing crowd – with an almost nonexistent showing by the student bodies – at the special boys Division I playoff game between Hazleton Area and Crestwood a few weeks ago at King’s College.
I have a solution. One that I’m sure will be quickly dismissed and ridiculed by several coaches and league officials. That’s OK. The bottom line: When an athletic team can hang a championship banner in its gym for winning the title in a five-team division, something needs to change.
Here we go.
First of all, say goodbye to St. Michael’s as a member of the WVC. The Knights can play an independent schedule, which can include some exhibition games against WVC teams.
That leaves us with 19 teams in the WVC. Quite simply, have all of the teams play each other for an 18-game regular season. Under the current format, games such as Dallas vs. Lake-Lehman, Meyers vs. Coughlin, and GAR vs. Hazleton Area are meaningless exhibition games. It shouldn’t be that way.
Every team qualifies for the District 2 playoffs anyway, so the new format won’t keep any teams out of the postseason. And if it’s your championships you’re worried about, I’ve got an answer for you.
At the end of the 18-game regular season, hold a special playoff for each state classification – with the top two teams in Class 4A, the top four teams in 3A and 2A, and the top two teams in Class A participating. Twelve of the 19 teams will be able to take part. Four champions will be crowed.
It’s a season format we can only dream about – the next time we doze off during another yawner.