Prep Wrapup : ‘Everybody in Playoffs’ Plan Derided by Some 4-A Coaches

Earning a spot in the L.A. City 4-A basketball playoffs in recent years has been as easy for some teams as making a lay-up. Finish above last place in league play, and a post-season berth usually was guaranteed.

While not everyone agreed with the generous system, it was accepted.

But several coaches are having trouble accepting the latest format adopted by the L.A. City Section, one that allows all 16 teams in the 4-A Division to qualify for the playoffs.

“I think it’s absurd,” said Carson Coach Rich Masson. “There are 16 teams in the 4-A and all 16 are going to the playoffs? It doesn’t make any sense at all. It doesn’t reward the teams that win league.”

Although the L.A. City Section has not formally announced the change, it was learned this week that the original playoff format has been scrapped in favor of a new one that will allow all four teams from each 4-A league--Metro, Pacific, Southern and North Valley--to automatically earn playoff berths.

Under the original format, league champions were to be granted byes while second- and third-place teams met in the first round. The format was used for the 4-A football playoffs last season.

Masson said he found out about the change Friday by calling the L.A. City athletic office.

“Everybody was passing the buck,” he said. “Nobody gave me any reasons for it. My personal opinion is that it’s money or they figure there’s one good fourth-place team in some league, and they want them in the playoffs. Somebody gave them some heat.

“It’s ridiculous that fourth-place teams are going to be in the playoffs. You might as well not have a (league) season. Just have everything be practice games and whatever the rankings are at the end of the year, have those teams be in the playoffs.”

Masson’s anger is understandable. Not only was the change made with just two weeks left in the regular season, but Carson stood to benefit from the original playoff format that gave first-round byes to league champions. The Colts (4-2 in the league, 11-7 overall) lead the Pacific League by two games with three games remaining.

But it’s not just the coaches of first-place teams who disagree with the change.

Gardena Coach Bill Hughes, whose team occupies last place in the Southern League, says the L.A. City Section isn’t doing the Mohicans a favor by giving them a playoff reprieve.

“I don’t think it’s a benefit,” Hughes said. “A team that comes in last place doesn’t deserve to go to the playoffs. We might end up going to (North Valley League leader) Cleveland, and we’ve already lost to them by more than 50 points. What benefit is that?”

Cleveland of Reseda defeated Gardena, 111-58, in a non-league game Jan. 4.

“It just means one extra game that could be very dissatisfying,” Hughes said. “If you go out there and get ripped, what’s the meaning of that?”

Hal Harkness, director of L.A. City interscholastic athletics, could not be reached for comment.

While some coaches are against the playoff change, others are taking it in stride. Westchester Coach Ed Azzam, whose team is in second place in the Metro League, suspected that all 16 4-A teams would qualify for the playoffs.

“There was no doubt in my mind they were going to do that from the start,” he said. “Why would they break it down to 12 teams when there’s 16 teams and they can make more money?”

By having more playoff games, the L.A. City Section would stand to collect a larger gate receipt.

“(The change) takes a little bit off the league season, but you still want to end up in the best position as possible,” Azzam said. “You don’t want to go to Cleveland or Crenshaw for the first round of the playoffs.”

With three games remaining, the last-place teams in the L.A. City 4-A Division are Gardena, Narbonne and Banning (tied, Pacific), Palisades (Metro) and Granada Hills (North Valley). The last-place teams will travel to face league champions in the first round of the playoffs.

Said San Pedro Coach Jack Kordich: “It doesn’t make any difference. The top four or five teams are still going to win, barring a tremendous upset. A team like Narbonne beating someone like Manual Arts is a million-to-one shot.”

Regardless of the impact the change has on the playoffs, the idea of every team from the 4-A Division qualifying doesn’t sit right with most coaches.

“This is the first time I can remember it happening,” Masson said. “The worst before was taking some last-place teams with the best records, but it’s never been where 16 out of 16 go to the playoffs. To me, it’s a joke.”

Last year, 16 of 19 4-A teams from three leagues qualified for post-season play. And many coaches believed that was too many.

“It used to mean something when you said, ‘We made the playoffs,’ ” Azzam said. “Now what does it mean? ‘We played, so we made the playoffs.’ ”

Foul trouble eventually caught up with Westchester on Friday as the Comets fell to host Manual Arts, 77-73, in two overtimes in a showdown for first place in the Metro League.

Three starters and the sixth man fouled out for Westchester before Manual Arts broke a 73-73 tie midway through the second overtime. Center Zan Mason fouled out in the fourth quarter, starting swingman Booker Waugh and reserve forward Charles Ladson went out in the first overtime and point guard Sam Crawford picked up his fifth foul in the second overtime.

The 6-7 Mason, in foul trouble most of the game, scored only six points after hitting for 12 in the first quarter, when the Comets opened a 19-10 lead. He sat out parts of the second and third quarters.

“When you lose someone like Zan, it makes it real hard,” Azzam said.

Westchester finished with 28 fouls. The team averages about 15 a game, Azzam said.

The coach hinted that the officials might have called the game closer than usual because of pre-game taunts and a scuffle that broke out in the opening minute of play.

“The kids talk too much,” Azzam said. “We were warming up and Manual wanted that side, so they took it. Well, you don’t. From there, there was a lot of talking, but nothing to do with the game.”

Manual Arts, ranked No. 7 in the nation by USA Today, improved to 7-0 in league play and 17-0 overall. Westchester dropped to 13-4 and 6-1.

USC basketball Coach George Raveling, whose Trojans play at Washington State today, would have been proud of his son Friday night.

Marc Raveling, a senior guard for St. Bernard, came off the bench to score 23 points, including five 3-point shots, to spark the Vikings to a 74-70 win over visiting Serra in an intensely played Camino Real League game.

After St. Bernard fell behind, 19-11, in the first quarter, Raveling hit three 3-pointers in the second period to help the Vikings pull within 34-32 at halftime.

From there, center Ed Stokes took over the Vikings. The 6-11 senior, who made several big plays down the stretch, finished with 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the floor, 22 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.

“Another day at the office,” Coach Jim McClune said of his star.

Stokes entered the game with a remarkable 75% shooting percentage from the floor, according to McClune.

Rolling Hills moved closer to its third consecutive Bay League basketball title this week while its competitors fell further behind.

The Titans (9-0 in the league, 18-3 overall) opened a three-game lead with wins over Beverly Hills and Leuzinger. Torrance and Inglewood, which are tied for second at 6-3, each split their games.

That sets up two big games for Torrance next week. The Tartars play host to Inglewood on Thursday night and travel to meet fourth-place Leuzinger (5-4) on Friday night.

Rolling Hills ended Leuzinger’s five-game winning streak Friday night with a 75-63 victory. Junior guard Steve Clover led the Titans with 24 points, 18 coming on six 3-point shots.