Abbey Price (11) of Marysville eyes a shot during a game earlier this season against Solon. The Lady Monarchs have earned the No. 3 seed for the upcoming Division I Central District tournament.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Marysville earned a third seed for the girls Division I Central District basketball tournament.
The seeding process was different this year as it was done using 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 OHSAA Board of Directors.
The formula combines a school’s record, the record of its opponents and the record of who opponents are playing.
In previous years, the coaches voted to seed the teams, but coaches are still able to place their teams on the bracket.
The Lady Monarchs (18-3) will open tournament play on Feb. 21 as they will host 44th-seeded Westerville North (3-17).
The game will begin at 7 p.m.
Marysville head coach Klarke Ransome sees both good and bad with the new system.
“There are pros and cons with the new system,” Ransome said.
Ransome points out the system does not really recognize all the things that can happen to a team during the season.
“It does not take into account a team that might have been missing players early in the season and now have them back,” he said.
Ransome, though, said the bottom line of the tournament remains unchanged.
“We’ve still got to play, win and everything else will take care of itself,” he said. “Everybody is 0-0 and it doesn’t matter what we’ve done during the season.”
Ransome feels he has put his team in a pretty good spot to make long post-season run.
“I am confident with the group of players we have and the opportunity we have,” he said.
Jonathan Alder was seeded fifth and North Union is one spot back in the Division II tournament.
The Lady Pioneers (12-7) will host 14th-seeded Licking Valley (8-10) on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.
The Lady Cats will play either third-seeded Centennial (16-1) or 15th-seeded Highland (6-12) on Feb. 24 at a site to be determined. That game will begin at 7 p.m.
Fairbanks was the 21st seed in the Division III tournament.
The Lady Panthers (7-14) will journey to fourth-seeded Pleasant (16-3) on Feb. 20 for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
In the Southwest District Division III tournament, Triad (7-14) was ranked 16th.
The Lady Cardinals will play fourth-seeded West Liberty Salem (17-3) on Feb. 15 at Dayton Northridge.
The game will tip off at 7:15 p.m.