Fairbanks’ Jameson Rausch cuts down a portion of the net after the Panthers secured a tie for the Ohio Heritage Conference North Division championship. Boys hoop squads will soon enter tournament competition.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Ryan Grose’s second year as the North Union head boys basketball coach has shown great improvement against his first season.
The Wildcats are 16-5 through Tuesday’s game and were rewarded with a second seed for the Division III Central District tournament.
This year was the first time seedings were decided by the MaxPreps Ratings Percentage Index.
The concept of using RPI to determine seeding was proposed by the Ohio Basketball Coaches Association and later approved by the Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors.
The formula combines a school’s record, the record of its opponents and the record of who opponents are playing.
Coaches are still able to place their teams on the bracket and Grose used some strategy when it came time for the Wildcats to place themselves on the bracket.
Following Columbus Academy, the top seed, placing itself on the bracket, Grose passed three times before making a decision.
He waited to see where Harvest Prep (third seed), Northridge (fourth seed) and Worthington Christian (fifth seed) would go.
Following Worthington Christian’s selection, Grose chose to go to the south bracket, joining Harvest Prep
“We wanted to pick and choose at what our best path would be,” Grose said.
North Union will open tournament play on Tuesday, Feb. 27 when it hosts Mount Gilead, the 20th seed, at 7 p.m.
A win over the Indians will give the Wildcats another home game against No. 12 Columbus Africentric.
“The advantage of a good seed is being able to play at home,” Grose said.
Jonathan Alder (12-8) earned a sixth-seed in the Division II tournament and took a bye in the first round.
The Pioneers will await the winner of Licking Valley (12th seed) and Buckeye Valley (No. 13) for a home game on Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m.
“We debated on taking a bye that would give us a long break,” JA head coach Derek Dicke said. “We do our practices up-tempo and we have one scrimmage left to use.”
Both Grose and Dicke share a complaint about the new process of seeding.
“There are plus and minus (factors) to any system,” Grose said, adding he would like to see strength of schedule be more of a consideration.
“I feel confident where we are placed,” Dicke said. “I am not a huge fan of the new system, mostly because strength of schedule is not taken into account.”
Fairbanks (18-4) will be joining North Union in the Division III tournament as the sixth seed.
Fairbanks will host eighth-seeded Fredericktown at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27.
In the Division I tournament, Marysville (12-8) was seeded 26th.
The Monarchs took a bye in the opening round.
Their second-round opponent will either be Westerville South (No. 16) or Dublin Scioto (the 32nd seed) at a site to be determined.
In the Southwest District Division IV tournament, Triad (4-16) will travel to Troy on Monday, Feb. 26 (7:30 p.m.) to play either fourth-seeded Botkins or 20th-seeded Calvary Christian. The Cardinals are seeded 22nd.