PREPNET / SPEAK OUT
Do you agree with the recent Southern Section ruling that any basketball team with 10 victories -- regardless of its league standings -- can qualify for the playoffs?
TIM BIRDSONG, Newport Harbor, Water Polo: I think it takes away from the accomplishment of making the playoffs. It should be only the best teams that play in the playoffs. When it becomes easy to qualify, it takes away from the sport. It’s not fair to those teams that earned the spots.
DUSTIN KAATZ, Marina, Basketball: I think it’s good if your team is struggling; if you haven’t had that great of a season, you still have a chance at the playoffs. That’s good, but in a sense it makes the teams that have worked really hard the whole season and have worked up to 17 wins and done well in their leagues feel like it doesn’t mean much.
TONY BRYANT, Villa Park, Basketball: I think it’s a good rule, especially for teams that may have played a tough schedule. They might be a good team and then once they get in the playoffs anything can happen. Any team can win on a given night. If that team comes ready to play and the team with more wins is not playing its best, anything can happen.
KEVIN HANSEN, Corona del Mar, Basketball/Volleyball: I think it’s a fair rule. Some teams may only get 10 wins but they are in a tough league, like the Sea View or Pacific Coast. They might finish fourth or fifth in league but they are a really strong team. They deserve a chance in the playoffs, especially if they are playing a lot of tough teams and considering they still got 10 wins.
MARY MULLIGAN, San Clemente, Girls’ Basketball Coach: I think the new policy of “10 wins, you’re in” really cheapens the concept of earning a playoff bid. The criteria for a wild-card spot should be a winning record, and at least a fourth-place finish in a six-team league (or fifth place in an eight-team league, etc.). This policy will make sure a good fourth-place team, from a strong league with a winning record, gets an opportunity to advance. In addition, this policy would uphold the concept that reaching the playoffs is actually a tremendous achievement.
JON BAHNSEN, Brethren Christian, Boys’ Basketball Coach
Yes, I agree with the recent CIF ruling regarding playoff entry with a minimum of 10 regular-season wins. Specifically, I feel that this is fair for teams that play a schedule such as ours. First, our [nonleague] schedule included six schools who are in the CIF top 10 rankings (from different divisions). Second, every team in our league is at least one division if not two divisions above us in enrollment. Because we schedule tough opponents and participate in a tough league shouldn’t be a reason to exclude us from the playoffs. This CIF ruling will certainly benefit teams such as ours, but may not be fair for all.
NEXT QUESTION:
Playoffs for winter sports will still be going when spring sports start. Are the seasons too close together?