at large entries

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SoCalHoops High School News

At-Large Entries: A Look At
The Numbers--(Feb. 15, 2000)

Just for fun, we tried to track down the number of teams playing in the playoffs in each division which had applied as "at-large" teams, just to see whether the floodgates had really sprung open, whether there would be a flood of really bad teams into the playoffs. You know, those teams which everyone was saying would dilute the process, cheapen the value of a title, make the league season meaningless by rewarding teams that finished well out of contention with a playoff berth.

Well, here are the numbers: There are a total of 312 teams participating in all divisions in boys' SS-CIF playoffs. Of that 312, there are 61 "at large" teams entered in all divisions, which is roughly 19% of the total number of teams participating. Fully 32 of those teams don't have overall winning records (all of them also have below .500 league records). It also looks like three teams somehow made it in as "at-large" without the necessary 9 wins (at least according to the official league standings contained on the "Boys Basketball League Playoff Entry Forms" with certified league standings signed by each league coordinator. How these teams happened to enter the playoffs, when others were denied entry we're not sure, but it appears to have happened. We've indicated those with less than 10 overall with two asterisks (**)

In any event, the numbers are interesting, even if they aren't all that revealing. There wasn't exactly a flood of poor teams rushing to enter, and in fact almost 50% of the at-large teams have better than a .500 record. Which means that of the total 312 teams participating, 280 of them (90%) have winning records.

How can anyone complain about that?

Here are the numbers:

Division IAA--51 teams total, 15 "At-Large" (29% at large)

Canyon Springs (Ivy) 5-5, 11-15, 4th in league
Peninsula (Bay) 5-9, 13-13, 6th in league
Lakewood (Moore) 5-7, 12-14, 5th in league
Downey (San Gabriel Valley) 5-5, 18-8, 4th in league
Murrieta Valey (Sunbelt) 4-6, 13-13, 4th in league
AB Miller (Citrus Belt) 3-7, 12-15 4th in league
Highland (Golden) 3-7, 13-12, 5th in league
Santa Maria (Northern) 4-6, 10-14, 4th in league
Yucaipa (San Andreas) 4-6, 10-16, 4th in league
Aliso Niguel (Sea View) 3-5, 12-13 , 4th in league
Camarillo (Pacific View) 1-7, 10-16, 5th in league (last)
Santa Monica (Bay) 7-7, 16-10, 5th in league
Glendale (Pacific) 4-6, 12-13, 4th in league
Fountain Valley(Sunset) 3-7, 14-12, 4th in league
Chaffey (Mt. Baldy) 4-6, 11-13, 4th in league

I-A--52 teams total, 12 "At-Large" (23% at large)

West Covina (Sierra) 4-6, 12-9, 5th in league
Anaheim (Orange) 4-6, 14-11, 4th in league
Riverside Poly (Ivy) 3-7, 13-13, 5th in league
Trabuco Hills (South Coast) 5-5, 13-13, 4th in league
Hart (Foothill) 5-5, 11-15, 4th in league
Mission Viejo (South Coast) 3-7, 12-14, 5th in league
Nogales (Sierra) 4-6, 14-12, 4th in league
Don Lugo (Baseline) 3-7m 10-16 4th in league
Jurupa Valley (Mountain View) 3-7, 13-13, 4th in league
Sunny Hills (Freeway) 5-5, 14-13, 4th in league
Baldwin Park (Valle Vista) 6-8, 11-14, 5th in league
Palm Springs (Desert Valley) 1-9, 8-17**

II-AA--32 teams total, 7 "At-Large" teams (21% at large)

San Bernardino (San Andreas) 2-8, 10-16, 5th in league
Ramona (Sunkist) 3-7, 14-13, 5th in league
Cypress (Empire) 3-7 13-13, 4th in league
South Torrance (Bay) 2-12, 11-15, 7th in league
Westlake (Marmonte) 3-9, 13-13, 6th in league
Buena Park (Freeway) 2-8, 12-14, 5th in league
Temescal Canyon (Sunkist) 4-6, 12-15, 6th in league

II-A--32 teams total, 6 "At-Large" teams (18.75 % at large)

Savanna (Orange) 4-6, 11-15, 5th in league
Culver City (Ocean) 7-7, 11-11, 5th in league
Servite (Serra) 2-4, 14-11, 3rd in league
Los Altos (Miramonte) 5-5, 15-11, 4th in league
Bishop Amat (Del Rey) 2-6, 16-10, 4th in league
Rancho Alamitos (Garden Grove) 5-7, 12-13, 5th in league

III-AA--30 teams total, 6 "At-Large" teams (20% at large)

Costa Mesa (Pacific Coast) 3-5, 17-8, 4th place in league
Diamond Ranch (Miramonte) 2-8, 11-15, 4th in league
La Canada (Rio Hondo) 5-5, 14-12, 4th in league
Ganesha (Valle Vista) 5-9, 11-15, 6th in league
Estancia (Pacific Coast) 206, 14-11, 5th place in league
Azusa (Montview) 3-7, 10-14, 4th in league

Division IV-AA-- 21 teams total (including Wild Cards), 6 "At-Large" teams (28.5% at large)

El Segundo (Ocean) 7-7, 12-13 6th in league
Carpinteria (Tri-Valley) 2-6, 10-13, 4th in league
Valley Christian Cerritos (Olympic) 6-4, 15-11, 4th in league
Serra (Del Rey) 3-5, DNR, 5th in league (last)
Salesian (Santa Fe) 5-5, 14-10, 4th in league
Crespi (Mission) 4-8, 12-13, 5th in league

IV-A--16 teams participating, 3 "At-Large" (18% at large)

Brentwood (Delphic) 3-7 in league, 4th
Silver Valley (De Anza) 0-10, DNR, last in league (6th)
Mary Star (Camino Real) 3-7, 9-16, 5th in league **

V-AA--51 teams participating, 3 "At-Large" (5.8 % at large)

Fairmont (Academy) 5-7, 10-13, 5th in league
Brethren Christian (Olympic) 1-9, 10-16, 6th in league
Montclair Prep (Delphic) 3-7, 13-12, 5th in league

V-A--27 teams participating, 3 "At Large" (11% at large)

West Valley Christian (Westside) 4-8, 10-11, 5th in league
Big Bear (De Anza) 5-5, NA, 4th in league
Palo Verde (Imperial Valley) 2-6, 9-15, 4th in league**