CCS makes change for the better

Taking a cue from the Southern Section, the CCS Open Division will go to pool play to decide the section’s best basketball team. Seeds 1, 3, 5, and 7 will be in one pool, with seed 2, 4, 6, 8 in the other. All teams are now guaranteed three playoff games, with the pool winners meeting at Santa Cruz’s Kaiser Permanente Arena for the CCS Open Division championship game Feb. 25.

“Everyone whose been involved with it (in the Southern Section) says it works really well and helped teams keep that edge,” said Tony Martinelli, head coach of the Sacred Heart Prep boys’ basketball team.

Maintaining that edge is important for teams that qualify for the Open because by doing so, they are guaranteed a spot in the Northern California regional tournament. Staying sharp has been an issue since the advent of the Open as teams would lose first-round games and then sleepwalk through consolation-round games.

“Part of it is a way to rectify … that feeling of having a really good season and then losing that first game (of the Open Division) and then having to wait a week to play Nor Cals,” Martinelli said.

The pool-play format means the CCS will scrap the previous system that implemented a consolation round for first-round losers. Funny thing is, no one likes to play in the consolation round. I don’t know if the term “consolation round” is a psychological block or what, but no one is a fan of consolation games.

“It feels like you’re not playing for anything at that point. That can really affect you when you get to Nor Cals,” Martinelli said.

SHP found that out firsthand. In 2015, SHP became the first San Mateo County team, other than Serra, to advance out of the first round of the Open Division, beating Riordan 51-46. In the semifinals, the Gators fell to St. Francis, 57-34, sending them to the third-place game against Mitty — the two-time defending Open champ who was dethroned by eventual 2015 champ Serra.

“We were excited to play (Mitty),” Martinelli said. “I don’t know how excited they were to play us.”

The hope is this new system will keep teams engaged throughout pool play — knowing that one loss will not prevent a team from ultimately winning a CCS Open Division title.

At the same time, the format should be a boon for high school basketball fans because you will get to choose from some really great matchups to watch. Let’s use that 2015 Open Division bracket as an example. SHP, the No. 4 seed, would have been pooled with No. 2 Serra, No. 6 Palma and No. 8 Fremont. The other pool would have featured No. 1 St. Francis, No. 3 Mitty, No. 5 Riordan and No. 7 Half Moon Bay.

Who wouldn’t want to watch SHP-Serra? Or see St. Francis and Mitty bang away for the third (or maybe fourth) time this season?

“In a perfect world, every game in the Open Division would be a dogfight, but we’re not there,” said Steve Sell, CCS president. “[This system] is trying to create as a good an experience as possible for the kids, as Pollyanna as that may sound.”

Martinelli said he first heard of the proposed change during the CCS postseason coaches meeting following the playoffs in June. Sell said the change was voted through Jan. 26, overwhelmingly.

“It just kind of speaks to coaches wanting those games to matter,” Martinelli said.

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Matt MacLeod had a heck of a high school football career as quarterback for Menlo-Atherton. So much so that he is weighing his options on where he wants to play collegiately.

MacLeod is also a member of the Bears’ basketball team. Here, he is piece of the machine. He comes off the bench. He gives the Bears a burst of energy and hustle. He is the type of basketball player coaches love to have.

But more so than anything, MacLeod is a leader. Whether a starter on the football team or a substitute off the Bears bench, he is the one who is rallying the team.

That much was evident last Friday night following the Bears’ 54-45 home loss to Carlmont. As I was waiting to interview M-A head coach Mike Molieri, I noticed the players start to file out of the locker room. First out was wing player Johno Price, who did not have a good game. He came shuffling down the hallway, head down.

Next thing you know, here comes MacLeod, still in his uniform, chasing after Price.

“Hey! C’mon man! We need you tomorrow!” MacLeod said, putting his arm around his teammate. Friday was the first of three games in four nights for the Bears.

The following night, the Bears took the court against PAL North Division-leading Half Moon Bay — and thumped the Cougars, 66-40. They then got their revenge on Carlmont Monday, 52-46.

I don’t know how much MacLeod’s pep talk to a teammate had to do with winning two straight going into Wednesday’s game against San Mateo. But it just goes to show that there is lot more to sports than just playing the game on the court and MacLeod knows it takes a team to win.

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