Believe it or not, CIF got it (mostly) right

For the last several years, the CIF has used an equity-based system of seeding, forgoing the previously system that was based on enrollment. High school basketball social media is full of people questioning the decision makers and wondering if there is a better system available.

If there is, maybe somebody can come up with one that appeases everybody. Surely it’s so simple. Apparently the CIF is supposed to have complete knowledge about all 186 teams in Northern California that made the playoffs and must perfectly assign every team to the correct division or the CIF is “out to get my team.”

Give me a break. First of all, we’re talking about high school sports. Too many adults wrapped up in what happens with high school “politics” instead of simply rooting for the teams and the games. Secondly, the CIF is doing what is best for everybody involved. Not just teams in the Open or Division I, which is where most of the howling takes place. The CIF has to take into account all teams, not just the media darlings.

After Tuesday night’s first round, the CIF appears to have things mostly right. I looked at all the boys’ games played and found that what CIF is attempting, was mostly accomplished: namely, competitive games. There were 39 boys’ games played Tuesday night (only one was pushed to Wednesday) in divisions I-V. Here’s what I found:

• In Division I, the average margin of victory was a little over eight points. Division II games were even closer, with the average margin of victory just six points (actually 5.625, so I rounded up). In Division IV, the average margin was eight.

• Division III and Division V had the most lopsided scores. In DIII, the average margin of victory was 13, while in Division V it was 17. I don’t hear too many complaints about DV.

• In those five divisions, there were 23 games decided by single digits. Fifteen of those were decided by five points or less.

• In 39 games, there were only 11 games decided by 15 points or more, four of which were in DV.

• As far as upsets go, in which a lower seed beats a higher seed, there were 12, including No. 16 Carlmont stunning No. 1 Las Lomas in the DIII bracket and No. 15 Sacred Heart Prep knocking off No. 15 Folsom.

So why all the hate on CIF? Seems like the system is working exactly how it’s supposed to work. The bottom line is: seedings and brackets are not an exact science, but there were a lot more hits than misses.

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As for San Mateo County teams, there are eight teams still left standing. On the boys’ side, Sacred Heart Prep (#15, Division I), Carlmont (#16, DIII), Hillsdale (#2, DIV) and Half Moon Bay (#10, DIV) are still playing.

County girls’ teams still alive: Hillsdale (#6, DIV), Menlo School (#7, DIV) and Summit Shasta (#15, DIV).

And the county is guaranteed at least two teams into the regional semifinals as a pair of quarterfinal matchups pit two county teams against each other. On the boys’ side, No. 2 Hillsdale will host No. 10 Half Moon Bay in a DIV game at 7 p.m. Thursday. On the girls’ side, No. 7 Menlo School will host No. 15 Summit Shasta in another DIV meeting.

The SHP boys will be on the road at No. 10 San Ramon Valley and Burlingame will be at No. 1 Head-Royce in Oakland.

For the girls, No. 6 Hillsdale will be at No. 3 Kimball-Tracy.

Boys’ teams eliminated Tuesday: Serra (#10, DI), Menlo-Atherton (#10, DII), Woodside Priory (#12, DII) and Jefferson (#11, DIV).

Girls’ teams eliminated: Crystal (#10, DII), Menlo-Atherton (#4, DIV), Mills (#14, DIV), Woodside Priory (#16, DIV) and Half Moon Bay (#5, DV).

Nathan Mollat can be reached by email: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: 344-5200 ext. 117. To report scores or tips, email sports@smdailyjournal.com.