16 Team State Class "C" Tourney Proposed

[Billings_Griz]

I don't like this. In the East, Culbertson and Scobey rolled thru the reg season and districts. They didn't play until the Divisional Chipper. They were clearly the 2 best teams--a huge difference between them and #3 & #4 in the east.





16-team State C tourney proposed
By Gazette News Services

MISSOULA - Centerville superintendent Dennis Gerke would like to see the state Class C basketball tournaments expanded to 16 teams.

Gerke says the change would give more opportunity for the state's 91 Class C teams to advance to the state tournament. Classes AA, A and B have eight slots at state tournaments vied for by 14, 24 and 43 teams, respectively.

Gerke says he's polled schools in the Northern C Division and they're all for a 16-team, double-elimination tournament played over four days. Now he's going to check with the Class C schools in the rest of the state. If it looks like there's enough support, Gerke plans to take the proposal to the Montana High School Association Board of Control meeting on April 27.

Gerke's plan doesn't propose any changes to the current district and divisional tournaments.

[SonomaCat]

If they do this, they just as well get rid of the divisional tournaments and pull the teams directly from districts to state (as taking the top 4 teams from each 8 team divisional tournament is just strange).

I don't like the idea ... keep the state tourney elite. It's a huge deal to qualify for the state tournament, and I'd hate to see that watered down dramatically.

[RedCat]

I agree....sounds like a pretty bad idea. I also agree with taking it back to 8 teams instead of the 9. If they did change anything they could maybe look at a 12 team tourney with the top 3 of each division going.

[BelgradeBobcat]

I have a question: What do other states do? Are there not some/most who do a single elimination format? Is the double-elimination the way to go? It certainly keeps more people in town (the tourney location) longer.