Going to school on the 4-class basketball tourney
It's a whole new ballgame now.
True, once they step onto the court, DuPage County girls and boys will still be playing basketball. As far as we know, nothing between the lines has changed. A free throw still counts as 1 point, a field goal is 2 points, unless it's behind that arc painted on the floor, in which case it's 3. The team with the most points wins and advances to the next round.
Simple, right?
Here's the part we're not accustomed to.
Instead of schools being divided into two classes for the state tournament, there now are four.
Instead of a big-school tournament and a small-school tournament, we now have:
• A dot-on-the-map-school tournament;
• A small-school tournament;
• A kind-of-big-school tournament; and
• A my-school-is-bigger-than-your-hometown tournament.
Confused yet?
Let's answer a few questions.
Q. Do teams have to play two games in one night, like they did in girls volleyball?
A. No, not even when they get downstate, which is new. Though a play-to-till-you-drop concept would be, um, interesting.
Q. Will there still be supersectionals?
A. Yes. We'd be lost without them.
Q. What is the biggest change in the sectionals?
A. Probably that some local teams will find themselves putting a lot of miles on the team bus, at least more than they used to. Just ask Wheaton Academy and Glenbard South. Their girls teams are headed to the south side of Chicago for the Class 3A Simeon and University High regionals, respectively.
Last year the Warriors played at the Wheaton Warrenville South regional, and the Raiders were at Addison Trail. Where would you rather go on a Wednesday night in February?
Q. Isn't the IHSA trying to cut down on traveling in the postseason?
A. Yes, on buses and on basketball courts. This, apparently, is the exception.
Q. When is the Elite Eight?
A. There is no more Elite Eight, at least not as we knew it. March Madness (trademarked by our very own IHSA) now ends in a Final Four (not trademarked by the IHSA).
Q. OK, when is the Final Four?
A. Here we go:
• For Class 1A and 2A girls, Feb. 22-23 in Normal.
• For Class 3A and 4A girls, Feb. 29-March 1 in Normal.
• For Class 1A and 2A boys, it's March 7-8 in Peoria.
• For Class 3A and 4A boys, it's March 14-15 in Peoria.
Q. So March Madness…?
A. Is really more of a February/March Madness (not trademarked by anyone, as far as we know. Hurry, now's your chance).
Q. Isn't this just madness?
A. Not if it means more fans spending their hard-earned money at the various state tourneys.
Q. Didn't attendance at the Indiana tournament drop off when it went from a single-class tourney to a four-class tourney?
A. Precipitously.
Q. Will that happen here also?
A. If it does, Bobby Plump, the godfather of Indiana basketball, would get to say "I told you so" all over again.
Q. So 16 boys teams and 16 girls team still go downstate?
A. Yes, the IHSA knows its math.
Q. Why bother changing at all?
A. Because instead of eight teams getting trophies, now the IHSA can hand out 16.
Q. Doesn't that devalue each trophy?
A. What's your point?
Q. We won't have a true state champion now, will we?
A. Now we get four for the price of one. Kids, it doesn't work that way in the real world. Stay in high school as long as you can.
Q. How will the Daily Herald cover all those Final Fours?
A. Good question. (That's another way of saying we don't know yet).