CIFSDS switch: Pack to play in The Valley

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: February 14, 2023

UPDATED at 12:01 p.m.
2022-23 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
CIF-SAN DIEGO SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS

OFFICAL BRACKETS Updated

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS Senior writer

COLLEGE GROVE – The CIF-San Diego Section, following the announcement of the brackets and pairings for all six division in boys basketball championships, announced modifications on Monday (Feb.13)which effect a pair of Est County teams.

One is a minor adjustment, as El Cajon Valley will play its Division V contest early, as the 12th-seeded Braves travel to North County to meet No. 5 Guajome Park at 4:30 pm. The facility for the Frogs is located on the north side of Vista.

But the other change is significant.

REVISED Boys Basketball Division III bracket, quadrant 2 — No. 5 West Hills at No. 12 EL Centro-Central (league champion);
Mo. 13 Escondido Charter at No. 4 Rancho Buena Vsta, moved to Wed., Feb. 15

In Division III, West Hills, coming off its best season in school history with a mark of 23-4, may not receive a home game this postseason.

Originally,, the Wolf Pack were seeded fourth and set to host No. 13 seed Escondido Charter at Dave Hunter Gymnasium where they were a perfect 10-0 this season. However, the Pack were flipped and lowered to the No. 5 seed.

In most years, the change would be of little consequence, but now the new opponent will by El Centro-Central, the No. 12 seed.

However, the Spartans were champions of the Imperial Valley League, and via CIF section rules, league champions receive home game priority. Thus, West Hills, a second-place team from the Grossmont Valley League, must travel 105 miles — in each direction; on a school night — for its playoff opener at 7 p.m.

West Hills’ slot in its D-3 quadrant was replaced by Rancho Buena Vista ; the Longhorns were moved from fifth to fourth among the seeds. Instead of traveling to El Centro, RBV will host the White Tigers of Escondido Charter, but even that contest was switched, moving from Tuesday to Wednesday evening to the RBV campus (also located in Vista — known as “America’s Climatic Wonderland.”

What happened

West Hills head coach Tim Barry explained why the changes were set into motion:

“On Friday, we ended the day with a power rating of 8.8, while RBV ended at 8.7. However, out game with El Cajon Valley had not matriculated into our overall rating when the (CIF seeding) meeting took place.”

“Once the game result was entered, even after our 34-point win, it dropped our rating down to 8.7 and a tie with RBV.”

“”Rather than going with the team with the most wins, the CIF decided == die to strength of schedules — RBV got the higher seed.”

Of course, any scouting and possible Saturday afternoon practices went for naught,’

“There’s nothing we can do but just play some ball and hopefully call in with some good news.”

Should both West Hills and Rancho Buena Vista both win, the Longhorns — not the Wolf Pack — will hosyt the quarterfinals on Friday.

CIF-San Diego Section commissioner Joe Heinz was asked to reply on the situation Tuesday (today) morning, but East County Sports did not receive a response.