HOULTON, Maine — The shortened regular season for high school basketball has come to a conclusion as teams are now busy preparing for a modified playoff format.
Traditionally, the Maine Principals Association used a “Heal Points” ranking system factoring in scores of games, and ranks of opponents to create a final ranking system. But since this year is anything but traditional, that ranking system was not used to determine a final placement for each class for boys and girls hoops around the state because some teams only played seven games, while others played as many as 12.
Since there is no single statewide tournament, each geographic region that comprised a basketball “pod,” such as the Aroostook County League, was free to come up with their own ranking system for their respective playoff formats.
Fort Fairfield Athletic Director Tim Watt released the final standings for County boys and girls squads Saturday. Due to teams playing an uneven number of games, the Aroostook County League used winning percentages (number of games won divided by number of total games played) to determine final rankings.
In the event of ties, seedings were decided by a random draw conducted by Bob White.
The final boys standings for Class B/C are: 1, Caribou, 11-0; 2, Central Aroostook, 9-3; 3, Houlton, 7-4; 4, Presque Isle, 6-6; 5, Hodgdon, 4-8; 6, Madawaska, 3-6; 7, Fort Fairfield, 4-8; Fort Kent, 2-4.
The final standings for Class B/C girls are: 1, Presque Isle, 12-0; 2, Houlton, 7-5; 3, Central Aroostook, 6-6; 4, Fort Fairfield, 6-6; 5, Hodgdon, 5-7; 6, Fort Kent, 2-5; 7, Caribou, 1-11.
The final standings for Class D boys are: 1, Van Buren, 10-2; 2, Easton, 9-3; 3, Southern Aroostook, 8-4; 4, Wisdom, 3-5; 5, Wasburn, 3-7; 6, Katahdin, 2-9; and 7, Ashland, 0-12.
The final standings for Class D girls are: 1, Wisdom, 9-0; 2, Southern Aroostook, 11-1; 3, Katahdin, 8-3; 4, Washburn, 6-5; 5, Ashland, 3-8; 6, Van Buren, 2-10; and 7, Easton, 0-12.
Boys playoff games for the B/C division slated for Tuesday, March 2, are No. 8 Fort Kent at No. 1 Caribou; No. 7 Fort Fairfield at No. 2 Central Aroostook; No. 6 Madawaska at No. 3 Houlton; No. 5 Hodgdon at No. 4 Presque Isle.
Boys playoff games for the D division slated for Tuesday, March 2, are No. 7 Ashland at No. 2 Easton; No. 6 Katahdin at No. 3 Southern Aroostook; No. 5 Washburn at No. 4 Wisdom. Top-ranked Van Buren has a first-round bye.
Girls B/C playoff games set for Wednesday, March 3, No. 7 Caribou at No. 2 Houlton; No. 6 Fort Kent at No. 3 Central Aroostook; No. 5 Hodgdon at No. 4 Fort Fairfield.
Girls D playoff games set for Wednesday, March 3, are No. 7 Easton at No. 2 Southern Aroostook; No. 6 Van Buren at No. 3 Katahdin; No. 5 Ashland and No. 4 Washburn.
The semifinals will take place Thursday, March 4 (boys), and Friday, March 5 (girls), with the finals taking place Monday, March 8 (boys) and Tuesday, March 9 (girls).
An overall championship featuring the winners of the B/C division facing the winner of the D division will be held Wednesday, March 10 for boys and Tuesday, March 11, for girls. In the event of inclement weather, the final game will be played Friday, March 12.
