Loss of EPC boys tourney: ‘Our kids were sad to hear that news’
Ask virtually any boys basketball coach at the start of the season for team goals, and the list would almost always start with: compete for league and district championships.
But for the 18 programs in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, the news earlier this week that there would be no league tournament and no champion crowned meant one of the primary goals of every season was taken away as another casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.
Even with additional time granted by virtue of both the District 11 and PIAA tournaments starting later than usual — two weeks later for districts — league officials didn’t feel there was enough time for all teams to get in their 10 league games. That took priority over the tournament.
Freedom, for example, didn’t play a single game until Monday. But the Patriots were not alone in having to play catch-up due to COVID-19 shutdowns and snowstorms.
The news wasn’t a shock but was still met with disappointment.
While mostly everyone involved in high school athletics is appreciative of just getting the opportunity to compete, losing one of basketball’s premier events was another blow in a school year filled with them.
Remember, last year’s league semifinals and finals were played in an electric atmosphere at PPL Center, where Allen gave coach Doug Snyder one last league title as a retirement gift.
That type of setting was never in the cards this year, of course, but the league tournament was always one of the most anticipated events of the season.
“Our kids were sad to hear that news,” first-year Allen coach Darnell Braswell said. “We are defending champions, and our kids fought and fought hard to win it last year. Our goal was to put ourselves in position to defend that title.
“So they were sad to hear the news and you could see some disgruntled looks on their faces. They were unhappy.”
With District 11 going to an open tournament with everyone eligible and no league tournament to enter, EPC teams may find themselves struggling to stay focused through the remainder of the month.
“At least we know we can still compete for one championship,” Braswell said. “Losing the EPC tournament takes some of the allure out of it because you would love to play the Becahi and Centrals and teams from all classes. But you just have to move forward and take what you can and enjoy every opportunity.”
Allen still has a mythical city championship to play for, with four of its remaining five games coming against Dieruff and Central Catholic starting with a trip to Dick Schmidt Gym on Saturday. The Canaries are set to close the regular season Feb. 26 against Pocono Mountain West.
“We’ve got to treat the remaining games like it’s a tournament and leave it all out there on the floor,” Braswell said. “When the district tournament begins March 6, we want to make sure we’re playing our best basketball.
“Our kids came up short in 6A districts last year after winning the league championship, so at least we can still put our best foot forward and go for something we didn’t get last year.”
Central Catholic coach and athletic director Dennis Csensits, whose team won the 4A district title last year, has scheduled as many games as possible outside the league to give his kids extra opportunities to play and prepare for a possible district and state run.
Still, the Vikings were looking forward to the chance of winning a league title for the first time since 2014.
“As a league, we’re doing the right thing, but we’re going to have to adjust our approach as coaches,” Csensits said. “Right now, you’re playing more for the love of the game. Varsity athletics is typically not about participation because when you get between the lines, you want to win. Right now, though, the win is not what’s on the scoreboard but in the mere fact you played a game.”
Csensits said coaches he talks to remain more concerned their seasons will end with a COVID-19 situation rather than a loss on the court.
“Fortunately, for me, I will get to coach again next season,” he said. “But for a lot of the kids, if their seasons end with a COVID-19 case, that’ll be the end. So for now we’ve got to work on being a better basketball team once districts do get here.”
Colonial, Schuylkill tourney information
While the EPC exits the stage, the Colonial League announced Friday that it moved back the start of its league tournament from Feb. 20 to Feb. 22 to give teams additional time to complete league games.
The league quarterfinals will now take place Feb. 22, the semis on Feb. 24 and the finals on Feb. 26. The quarterfinals and semis will be played at the higher seed, but the league is hoping to secure a neutral site for the finals. Spectators will not be permitted.
Teams will have until 3 p.m. on Feb. 20 to get in all of their games and the league tournament pairings will be announced later that day.
In the Schuylkill League, the deadline to complete games is also Feb. 20. On Feb. 22, any tiebreaker games will be held and then the rest of the action will unfold at Pottsville’s Martz Hall with the boy’s semifinals Feb. 24 and the boy’s championship game at 8 p.m. on Feb. 26.
There is a 5% capacity rule for the tournament. For Martz Hall, that allows for 250 people, which would include spectators and all game officials. All fans will be seated in the upper level.
In order to give each participating school the maximum number of fans, the start times each night during the tournament are 5 and 8 p.m. When the first game is over, Martz will be cleared to allow new fans in for the second game.
Each school will get 125 tickets and will be pre-sold at $5 each. Tickets, which will be color-coded, are intended for fans to attend only their school’s games.
Via banquet, games canceled
In a release issued earlier this week, Via announced that it is canceling its annual all-star banquet and all-star games as a precaution to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The events not only celebrated the high school senior players but also raised funds for Via, which is a nonprofit agency that provides services for children and adults with disabilities like autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome.
Instead, the Via All-Stars, Via Teams of the Year and Via Players of Year will still be announced in March through media outlets and social media.