Major change planned for second round of Pacific Coast League boys basketball

Ryan Abaye of Northwood brings the ball up as Ethan Fu of Woodbridge defends Friday night. (Photo: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Northwood and Woodbridge boys basketball teams played a hotly-contested Pacific Coast League game at Woodbridge Friday night in front of a big crowd. The stands were nearly full for the contest.

Traditionally, the two teams would play again in the second round at Northwood.

That has changed though with the creation of a week-long tournament for the second round of play to create the final league standings.

Woodbridge Athletic Director Rick Gibson said that at the end of league on Friday, Jan. 27 teams will be seeded one through eight. The tournament will last one week over three days tentatively starting Wednesday, Feb. 1 and running through Friday, Feb. 3. Those days could change, Gibson said.

The tournament plan, approved by the league’s coaches, was developed for scheduling reasons since there are eight teams in the league with the addition of Sage Hill High School. Coaches didn’t want to start league play before the holiday break because they were involved in tournaments, Gibson said.

Starting after the break and completing a schedule with two rounds would be complicated, he said.

“It will be run like a regular tournament, so if you win, you stay on the right side and if you lose, you go to the left side,” Gibson said.

Coaches are trying to find a neutral site for the tournament so that no team earns a home-court advantage. League offficials have eyed Concordia University and Irvine Valley College as locations, but those venues may have conflicts, Gibson said.

If a neutral site isn’t available, Gibson said that the high school venues could be used. A point system will be used if there are ties to determine seedings.

Two local coaches on Friday seemed to support the plan.

“I miss having the second game to play again and have another crack at the team but the tournament should be fun,” said Northwood Coach Christian Manalo.

“Every game is a big game especially with this tournament happening after the first round of league,” said Woodbridge Coach Steve Scoggin after the Warriors defeated Northwood Friday. “So it’s not like we get them the next round. Every game is a playoff atmosphere, a playoff mentality.”

It appears the coaches will see how the tournament goes and then decide whether it will be used again next season.

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—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com