Every Section Basketball Team Qualifies for Playoffs Under New Division Format

Less than a month into the 1987-88 basketball season, every team has qualified for the playoffs San Diego Section playoffs.

Because California state championships in basketball will now be decided in five enrollment divisions instead of three, San Diego will follow suit.

And to have more champions, more playoff teams are needed. So, no matter where a San Diego team finishes, it will participate in postseason play.

The new categories:

--Division I: Schools with an enrollment of 2,000 or more students.

--Division II: 1,500-2,000 students.

--Division III: 1,000-1,500 students.

--Division IV: 400-1,000 students.

--Division V: 400 or less students.

“In the past, there were schools competing for state championships that had a tremendous disparity in the size of school enrollment,” said Kendall Webb, San Diego Section commissioner. “The state did a survey of the size of schools state-wide and that breakdown provided an even amount of schools in each division.”

That format may work well on the state level, but in San Diego there are 20 Division I teams, 23 Division II schools but 7 Division III schools.

County coaches’ sentiments are divided.

“I think this will be very good for basketball,” said Ron Davis, coach of defending 3-A champion Morse. “All the teams will have a chance and you can peak at the end of the season.”

Said Madison Coach Jim Thompson: “I don’t really like the new system at all. Before, we had three section champions and now the whole thing is watered down.”

Thompson’s point will be evident in Division III, where Lincoln (11-1) appears to be almost a lock for the section championship.