As the 2022 basketball season enters the final week of the regular season, conference/divisional titles and conference playoff berths are still at stake.
Here is a look at how things stand in boys’ basketball after games Saturday, Feb. 12.
BOYS
AML North
Elk County Catholic (17-4 overall, 8-1 AML) has secured the AML North title and will host an AML semifinal playoff game. Johnsonburg (10-11, 4-5) has secured second place and will travel to the AML South champion in the AML semifinals.
AML South
Ridgway (14-4 overall, 6-1 AML South) has claimed the South title because of a sweep of DuBois Central Catholic.
DCC has secured second place and an AML playoff spot. The Cardinals are 14-6 overall and 6-2 in league play.
D9 LEAGUE
Brookville (17-2 overall, 8-1 D9 League) currently holds a 1 ½ game lead over DuBois (15-5, 6-2) in the league race but both teams control their own destiny.
If Brookville beat DuBois Friday, then the Raiders win the league title outright for the first time.
But if DuBois beats St. Marys at home Monday and then wins at Brookville Friday, the Beavers win the league title based on having swept the season series from the Raiders.
A DuBois loss to St. Marys Monday gives the league crown to Brookville.
The D9 League doesn’t have a postseason tournament.
KSAC SMALL SCHOOL DIVISION
Three teams – Union, North Clarion, and Clarion are all within a game of each other with the division title and two KSAC playoff berths on the line.
Union (12-7, 8-1) currently holds a game lead over both Clarion (12-8, 7-2) and North Clarion (13-7, 7-2). While any of the three could still qualify for the KSAC playoffs, only Union and North Clarion can win the divisional crown.
Union closes out league play at North Clarion Wednesday, while Clarion travels to A-C Valley Wednesday.
Here are the possible scenarios:
Union and Clarion win on Wednesday
Union wins the division at 9-1 and Clarion finishes second at 8-2 with North Clarion taking third at 7-3. Union and Clarion advance to KSAC playoffs.
Union wins and Clarion loses on Wednesday
Union wins the division at 9-1 and North Clarion finishes second at 7-3 with Clarion taking third at 7-3. North Clarion wins the tiebreaker over Clarion. The first tiebreaker is head-to-head in conference games but North Clarion and Clarion split meaning the second tiebreaker is used which is overall record vs. the KSAC Large School Division (4-2 for North Clarion and 3-3 for Clarion). Union and North Clarion advance to the KSAC playoffs.
North Clarion wins the division at 8-2, Union finishes second at 8-2, and Clarion is third at 7-3. North Clarion wins the division thanks to a tiebreaker over Union. Again, the first tiebreaker – head-to-head – can’t be used in this case because the teams would have split their games. The second tiebreaker – record vs. KSAC Large School – would give North Clarion the division title thanks to a 4-2 record vs. Union’s 2-4 mark. North Clarion and Union advance to the KSAC playoffs.
North Clarion and Clarion win on Wednesday
North Clarion wins the division at 8-2, Clarion finishes second at 8-2, and Union takes third at 8-2. In a three-way tie, the head-to-head record of all three teams is the first tiebreaker. In this case, they were all 1-1 vs. each other meaning it goes to the next tiebreaker – record vs. the KSAC Large School Division. North Clarion wins the division based on a 4-2 mark vs. the Large School while Clarion is second thanks to its 3-3 record. Union was 2-4 vs. the Large School Division. North Clarion and Clarion advance to the KSAC playoffs.
KSAC LARGE SCHOOL DIVISION
Redbank Valley has clinched its first divisional title since 2015. The Bulldogs are 17-3 overall and 8-0 in league play with games left against Clarion-Limestone and Keystone.
While Karns City sits at 7-2 in league play and 16-4 overall, the Gremlins lose the tiebreaker with the Bulldogs because Redbank Valley swept the season series.
Karns City has secured second place and a KSAC playoff spot. Even if the Gremlins would lose to Moniteau Wednesday and C-L (10-10, 5-3) would win its final two divisional games over Redbank Valley and Cranberry to finish in a tie for second with KC at 7-3, the Gremlins win the tiebreaker having swept the season series from the Lions.
NTL
Otto-Eldred (19-2 overall, 15-0) NTL has secured the league title.
The Terrors have a conference game left against Smethport but hold a 2-game lead in the loss column over Cameron County (14-4, 10-2) who still has four conference tilts left to play but can’t catch O-E.
The NTL does not have a postseason tournament.
CURWENSVILLE AND CLEARFIELD
Curwensville is in its first year in the ICC North, and the Golden Tide are out of the divisional title race with a 5-15 overall and 4-9 league mark,
Clearfield is also out of the Mountain League title chase sitting at 12-8 overall and 7-6 in league play.
