Reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland talk the format for state basketball, give a salute to a few teams and players, plus Tony and Cale talk about their recent visits to Spring Training
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
In this episode of The Study of Sports, reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland discuss the format of Washington’s high school basketball tournaments and if there is any momentum toward making changes.
We also give a salute to Columbia River and Camas boys basketball teams for their trophy-worthy seasons, and a shout-out to Camas girls basketball seniors who just completed an incredible career.
As far as the state tournament formats, Valencia says he has a big problem with teams that have lost in the state tournament still having the opportunity to win a state championship. He contends if a team loses a state playoff game, that team should not be in the running for a state title.
Under the current format, eight of the 16 (or 20 teams) in each tournament can lose in the Opening Round and still go on to win the championship. Last week, two teams did just that in the 12 WIAA tournaments. (There are six boys classifications and six girls classifications.)
“I don’t know what the end game is going to be. I do agree, though, it doesn’t feel right to me to have a state champ that lost a game in the state tournament,” Piland said.
LIberatore had a different point of view. He said fans could consider those Opening Round games as similar to pool play in the World Cup. There are soccer teams that win the World Cup that have finished second in pool play. He noted that there are different formats for a number of sports. We just aren’t used to having high school teams lose in the state tournament and still win it all.
We also answer a question from one of our readers, and more on high school sports.
Also, Cale and Tony both traveled to Arizona recently for Spring Training. They tell us what it’s like to visit their favorite MLB team before the season starts.
Our podcast format is simple: A longtime sports reporter (Paul Valencia) discusses high school sports, and more, with longtime sports administrators and former coaches. Cale Piland is the former head football coach at Evergreen and Union and is now the athletic director for Evergreen Public Schools. Tony Liberatore is a former assistant coach and athletic director at Columbia River and is now an associate principal at Fort Vancouver.
We’re always interested in subject ideas for a future podcast. Email us a subject idea.
Send us your thoughts at: paul.v@clarkcountytoday.com.
Also read:
- Pro basketball: Vancouver Bears set to debut new name in new league
Vancouver’s professional basketball franchise has rebranded as the Vancouver Bears and will open its season in a new league March 7 at Hudson’s Bay High School. - State basketball quarterfinals: Columbia River Rapids keep dream alive, advance to final four
Columbia River defeated Pullman in the Class 2A state tournament quarterfinals in Yakima to reach the semifinals, while four other Clark County teams fell in their respective state quarterfinal games. - State high school basketball: Five local teams to play in quarterfinal games Thursday, March 5
Five Clark County basketball teams advanced to state quarterfinal games after Columbia River, Columbia Adventist, Evergreen, and Seton Catholic won Wednesday and Union had already secured its spot. - State high school basketball: Seven Clark County teams still playing in final week of tourneys
Union girls and Columbia River boys advanced Saturday, joining five other Clark County teams in the final week of state basketball tournaments. - State high school basketball: Celebrating a coaching connection at Camas and Fort Vancouver
Camas and Fort Vancouver saw their state playoff runs end on the same night, highlighting a unique coaching bond between Scott Thompson and James Jones.
