IF I RAN THE WORLD

This is an examination on how I would run the world….basketball-wise for high school Minnesota. I just want everyone to understand I do not run the world…I basically only control one room in my house, sometimes.

I realize this is not “fresh” considering we are knee deep in club ball at this moment, but sometimes life gets in the way.

STATE TOURNAMENT

3v3

One way to increase the buzz around the tournament would be to bring the second-place finishers to the state tournament and have them compete in a 3 on 3 tournament. The eight teams in each class would mirror the match ups of the regular five on five. Using the AAAA example that would have meant Wayzata vs. East Ridge; Lakeville South vs. Mounds View; Eden Prairie vs. Anoka; Elk River vs. Eastview. These teams would need to identify four players to take part. That leaves the balance of the roster off the court. For those unfamiliar with the FIBA rules—1 point for a regular 2-point basket; 2 points for a 3; 1 point for a free throw. 10 minutes of potential action. First team to 21 wins. If there is a tie, a one minute break before action starts again. Then the first team to score two points wins. The shot clock is 12 seconds. Substitutions come on dead balls. Each of these games would take place prior to the start of the 5 v 5 warm ups on Wednesday for AAAA, AAA, and AA; Thursday for A, all quarterfinal days. When television is involved, the semis would take place in the time after the five on five games are done. For example on Thursday after the AAA semis the AAA three on three semis would take place followed by the AAAA three on three semis. Then the AAAA fives semis would take place. This event would bring added interest, added fans, and would work well on television.

SEEDING & RELEGATION

I would prefer a one-class tournament. How many classes are in the Olympics? In the era prior to 1971 there was a single class with eight regions. One big reason the MSHSL moved to a two-class system was that the metro area, home of at least half the state’s population, would only have at most two entrants. For example, using the QRF listing as the #1 seed, here is how the top eight teams in 2024 would look using the pre-1971 sections /regions:

1. Rochester Mayo
   2. Mankato East
   3. Marshall
   4. Lakeville North
   5. Hopkins
   6. Alexandria
   7. Mountain Iron-Buhl
   8. Fosston

Would this be fair? NO. Many quality teams would be on the sidelines. Fosston is #113 in the QRF poll, the lowest rated team in the bunch.

What if we tweaked this a bit. Still only one class. Using the US Congressional representative borders (better reflecting current population alignment) which dovetail right into eight sections / regions this is how the state would look in 2024 (numbers are the current representative districts).

1. Rochester Mayo
   2. Lakeville North
   3. Hopkins
   4. White Bear Lake
   5. Benilde-St. Margaret’s
   6. Andover
   7. Alexandria
   8. Forest Lake

The one that raises eyebrows would be Forest Lake. They were #36 on the QRF, Mountain Iron-Buhl was #42. Would this be fair….maybe….kinda…. All the schools are AAAA now except for Benilde and Alex. At least the gaps between #1 (Hopkins) and #36 are smaller than #113.

Everyone wants to seed 1-64 (or whatever number the AAAA totals are). I am going one step further. I will put the 64 best teams in the state in one division. It doesn’t matter how many rear ends are in chairs in the school. That doesn’t equate to winning. I am tired of watching running time massacres during the season and even at state it bugs me. I want true competition. I am tired of watching teams that play rough and tumble schedules all year “play down” in March. How satisfying is that? Schools can always opt up a class. No one really does because they want the hardware. My proposal would sink that. Every year the 64 top teams would change. Think of European soccer relegation as an example.

First there would be six classes, not four—-all based on skill and competitive level. All six classes would have 64 teams, except for the lowest class that would have about 80. All levels would all be sorted out on January 1. There would be eight sections of eight schools each. Not every class would be televised. Not every class would be at Williams Arena either. I think having some games at the Maturi Pavilion, and across the street at Mariucci Arena would centralize action. Lose and you are done. No consolation. Not even third.

How would this work? During November and December schools could play any school they choose. The results would then be tabulated. Using the infamous QRF method the 64 teams would then be selected for each of the six classes. January and February would have home and away games with the teams in their respective sections—a total of 14 games across eight weeks. A school could have several non-sectional games in those two months, but the opponent would have to be within newly assigned class.

Looking at the January 2 listing this year the top teams in the rest of the classes (and presumably the #1 seed for the state tournament in March:
6: Hopkins
5: (#65) Mankato East
4: (#129) Blooming Prairie
3: (#193) Edgerton
2: (#257) Hill City / Northland
1: (#321) Mora

Did the QRF get it right? For example, in division 5 here are the #1 seeds in the sections this year: Winona Cotter; Mayer Lutheran; Sleepy Eye; Cromwell-Wright; Fosston; Glencoe-Silver Lake; Minneota; EGF Sacred Heart; SW MN Christian.

Here is who I believe was overvalued on January 2 in division 6 using just one example: Richfield—-they eventually landed in division 4 at #153. But clearly the most obvious mistake would be to have Benilde-St. Margaret’s in division 5. November and December were without Olivia Olson and the Red Knights suffered some losses. When she returned, they were undefeated. That was the most egregious error. Alas that is where they would have landed in this system.

Overall, there probably would not have been so many massacres in this system, but looking at some pretenders that wormed their way into this list a few would happen. Games would mean something, and the sections would then have accurate seeds in the postseason. Again, there would be extremely loaded sections. Look no further than section six in the top division (6) with two eventual state champs and another state entrant. Section five and eight was also thick with four teams getting to state. The thinnest section in this list was one with only Goodhue making it.

Here are how the sections in 6A would play out with that deadline.  22 of the 32 state entrants are in this division. Bold teams made the state.

SECTION 1

Byron
Goodhue
Jordan
New Prague
Rochester Century
Rochester JM
Rochester Mayo
Winona

SECTION 2

Chanhassen
Chaska
Delano
Marshall
New London-Spicer
New Ulm
St. Peter
Watertown-Mayer

SECTION 3

Cretin-Derham Hall
Eagan
Eastview
Lakeville North
Lakeville South
Prior Lake
Rosemount
Shakopee

SECTION 4

Centennial
East Ridge
Roseville
St. Anthony
Stillwater
Totino-Grace
White Bear Lake
Woodbury

SECTION 5

DeLaSalle
Fridley
Hopkins
Minneapolis Roosevelt
Minneapolis Southwest
Minnehaha
Richfield
St. Louis Park

SECTION 6

Anoka
Eden Prairie
Maple Grove
Minnetonka
Orono
Osseo
Providence
Wayzata

SECTION 7

Andover
Blaine
Brainerd
Cloquet
Crosby-Ironton
Mountain Iron-Buhl
Pequot Lakes
Rock Ridge

SECTION 8

Albany
Alexandria
Elk River
Fergus Falls
Monticello
Perham
Sartell-St. Stephen
St. Michael-Albertville

Now a look at the 5A division—according to the QRF.

SECTION 1

Caledonia
Dover-Eyota
Hastings
Hayfield
NRHEG
Stewartville
UCA
Winona Cotter

SECTION 2

Fairmont
Jackson County Central
Mankato East
Martin County West
Minneota
Sleepy Eye
SW MN Christian
Windom

SECTION 3

Burnsville
Farmington
Two Rivers
Mounds View
St. Agnes
St. Croix Prep
St. Paul Como Park
St. Paul Washington/Johnson

SECTION 4

Benilde-St. Margaret’s
Forest Lake
Hill-Murray
Holy Angels
Mahtomedi
Minneapolis South
Minneapolis Washburn
Spring Lake Park

SECTION 5

Becker
Champlin Park
Coon Rapids
Holy Family
Lester Prairie
Mayer Lutheran
Park Center
Princeton

SECTION 6

Breckenridge
Hancock
Holdingford
Pelican Rapids
Sauk Centre
Sauk Rapids-Rice
St. Cloud Cathedral
Willmar

SECTION 7

Braham
Chisholm
Cromwell-Wright
Esko
Grand Rapids
Mesabi East
Ogilvie
Proctor

SECTION 8

Barnesville
Bemidji
Detroit Lakes
East Grand Forks
EGF Sacred Heart
Fosston
Mehanga
Park Christian

Now obviously I must step in and right the wrongs. BSM would replace Richfield. The Spartans were 5-3 by Jan. 1, but had suffered running time losses to DeLaSalle and Delano. Their “best” win was against Washburn, a team that probably should not be at level five, but a step below. That is why I would flip out teams under circumstances like this. Only one person would have authority to alter the field, an individual that is impartial, fair and has some commonsense knowledge. Any more selectors and there is horse trading and agenda posing. Not acceptable.

On the cusp of moving down at level six would be St. Louis Park and Osseo. I think Rochester Lourdes should not be at level four, but up one. Same with Duluth Marshall.

TRANSFERS….INTRODUCING THE HIGH SCHOOL PORTAL

The transfer issue raises everyone’s blood pressure. It is happening above at the collegiate level at what seems epidemic proportions. It is, and has for many years, been part of the landscape in high school. I want to bring it out in the open where everyone can readily see. I want transparency.
First off kids want to play, and kids want to feel like they contribute. No one leaves a happy situation. I would open a transfer window after the state tournament for four weeks. Players and their families would register with the MSHSL on their availability to switch schools without the fictional real estate mailboxes. This would not be free. A fee to register would be established. Certainly, that fee would be less disruptive than purchasing a new home. The families would have to foot the bill for transportation from the current home district to the new site.

Second: schools would have to register also—-if they are willing to receive a player from another school. Any school that accepts a new player would also be required to move up a class (if the relegation model was not in effect (which it won’t—–unfortunately).

The MSHSL benefits from the fees.

Still there will be unhappiness. There is plenty of that right now. No one likes to have players leave. I don’t. The whole process would get the bright sunshine it deserves.

SEEDING THE STATE EARLY—-2024-25

Here is a quick look at how things stand prior to movement and injuries which inevitably will take their toll and alter these selections.

AAAA

1. Hopkins (6)
2. Eden Prairie (2)
3. Maple Grove (5)
4. Michael-Albertville (8)
5. Eastview (3)
6. Lakeville North (1)
7. Stillwater (4)
8. Anoka (7)

AAA

1. Alexandria (8)
2. DeLaSalle (4)
3. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (6)
4. Stewartville (1)
5. Totino-Grace (5)
6. Rock Ridge (7)
7. New Ulm (2)
8. Two Rivers (3)

AA

1. Providence (5)
2. Minnehaha (4)
3. Duluth Marshall (7)
4. Winona Cotter (1)
5. New London-Spicer (3)
6. Sauk Centre (6)
7. Barnesville (8)
8. Clair (2)

A.

1. Goodhue (1)
2. Cass Lake-Bena (8)
3. Walker-Hackensack-Akeley (5)
4. Breckenridge (6)
5. Mountain Iron-Buhl (7)
6. Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s (2)
7. Lester Prairie (4)
8. Central MN Christian (3)