Seeding Creates State of Confusion

With three playoff subdivisions in Division I creating the need for Southern Section officials to pick one of the three runners-up to advance to the state playoffs, the section may have to reexamine its playoff seeding guidelines.

In Division I-AA, the two girls’ basketball teams that the Southern Section ranked 1-2 during the regular season, San Clemente and Moreno Valley, will play each other in the semifinals, meaning the loser of that semifinal will be ineligible to advance to the state playoffs. In Division I-A, two undefeated teams, Ventura Buena and Woodbridge, could face each other in a semifinal on Saturday.

“Obviously, there needs to be a change in policy,” said Mary Mulligan, coach of San Clemente, the top-seeded team in Division I-AA. “The top four teams should go in seeded correctly, no matter what, to maintain the integrity of the playoffs. Otherwise, you’re not going to get your two best teams in the championship game.”

Mulligan might have an ally in Buena’s Joe Vaughan, who has won more high school games than any other girls’ basketball coach in California.

“Obviously, with three divisions, [the seeding process] becomes more critical,” Vaughan said. “I think something like this will at least make [section officials] take a look at it. There’s always room for reevaluation. . . . It might be refreshing to get some outside input.”

Paul Castillo, section assistant commissioner in charge of basketball, said guidelines the section uses to determine its seeded teams have been in place “for over 20 years. . . . [and] it’s never been an issue.”

The key guidelines: First- and second-place teams from the same league are placed in opposite playoff brackets, and first-place league entries must be placed above the second-place entries in the playoff draw.

In properly seeded tournaments, the No. 1 team plays the No. 4 in one semifinal, and the Nos. 2 and 3 teams play in the other.

The reason top-seeded San Clemente (24-3) will play second-ranked but fourth-seeded Moreno Valley (21-4) is because Moreno Valley lost a coin flip to Riverside North (16-10) to determine the Ivy League champion. North took the higher seeding, and Moreno Valley was placed in the opposite bracket even though it had been ranked higher than North all season.

A coin flip wasn’t necessary to determine the Channel League champion because Buena (26-0) beat out Ventura (20-5). Though Ventura was the section’s fourth-ranked team in Division I-A, it was seeded third; Woodbridge, ranked third, was given the No. 4 seed. That means Woodbridge (27-0) will be matched against top-seeded Buena should both reach the semifinals--all because Ventura can’t be on the same side of the bracket as Buena.

Ventura’s semifinal opponent would be No. 2 Troy (24-4).

Jim Martin, who coached Laguna Hills to a section title last season, said the top four teams should be seeded accurately regardless of league affiliation. “By the semifinals, it shouldn’t make any difference,” he said.

According to Castillo, after the semifinals are played, the six remaining teams will be ranked 1 through 6 based on head-to-head competition, strength of schedule and won-loss record. The highest-ranked team that doesn’t win a title will get the section’s fourth entry in the state playoffs.

THREE-POINTERS

One of the best clutch performances of the week came from Xochitl Byfield, whose free throw in the last minute gave Estancia a 56-55 victory over Riverside King. . . . Cutting it even closer was Desiree Romo, whose two free throws with 11 seconds left gave La Habra a 48-46 win over Ocean View.

LOOKING AHEAD

Orange Lutheran will play Morro Bay, the top-seeded team in Division IV-AA, at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. “Playing at home will be a huge advantage,” said Coach Tony Matson.

If you have an item or idea for the girls’ basketball report, you can fax us at (714)966-5663 or e-mail us at martin.henderson@latimes.com