By Sonny Jones
The N.C. High School Athletic Association basketball playoffs are scheduled to open five weeks from today.
Let’s see how Bladen County varsity teams rank in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI). It’s the formula the state uses to help with playoff seeding and first-round pairings. The formula includes a teams winning percentage, the winning percentage of opponents and the winning percentage of opponents’ opponents.
EAST BLADEN BOYS
Record: 12-2 overall, 4-0 conference
Current RPI: 0.57304
Current Seed: 12
Last Week’s Seed: 9
This Week: Tuesday at Red Springs, Friday home against St. Pauls
Outlook: The Eagles seem to be a sure bet to make the playoffs. If East Bladen wins the Southeastern Athletic Conference championship it would be assured of at least two home games. If the Eagles don’t win the SAC-7, then it’s uncertain if they would play a home game. The 10 conference champions are seeded first, then it goes by RPI.
WEST BLADEN BOYS
Record: 11-5 overall, 2-2 conference
Current RPI: 0.540927
Current Seed: 14
Last Week’s Seed: 13
This Week: Tuesday at St. Pauls, Friday home against Midway
Outlook: The overtime win at Red Springs last week helped the Knights remain in solid position for a state playoff berth. A big game at No. 15 seed St. Pauls tonight. Overall, West Bladen appears in good shape with eight regular season games remaining plus the conference tournament to make the state playoffs. A home game is unlikely, but not out of the question.
EAST BLADEN GIRLS
Record: 11-3 overall, 3-1 conference
Current RPI: 0.586627
Current Seed: 11
Last Week’s Seed: 9
This Week: Tuesday at Red Springs, Friday home against St. Pauls
Outlook: The Eagles dropped a couple of spots following their loss to No. 5 Fairmont at home last week. While it will be a challenge to win the conference title and be assured of home games in the state playoffs, East Bladen should be comfortably in the bracket when pairings are scheduled to be released Feb. 18.
WEST BLADEN GIRLS
Record: 8-5 overall, 1-3 conference
Current RPI: 0.490993
Current Seed: 23
Last Week’s Seed: 21
This Week: Tuesday at St. Pauls, Friday home against Midway
Outlook: Losses against higher-seeded No. 5 Fairmont and No. 21 Red Springs hurt the Knights a bit, but they would still be in the playoff field. However, West Bladen has lost four straight in the new year and need to get back in the win column to remain in the hunt for a postseason berth.
Here is the RPI for other Southeastern Athletic Conference teams as of Tuesday morning:
BOYS
15. St. Pauls
19. Red Springs
26. Fairmont
27. Midway
48. Clinton
GIRLS
4. St. Pauls
5. Fairmont
20. Midway
21. Red Springs
34. Clinton
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
• 2016 — The Carolina Panthers builds a 31-0 halftime lead before barely holding off Seattle’s relentless comeback, beating the Seahawks 31-24 to advance to the NFC championship game.
POTATO PICKS TO WATCH TODAY
• WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES: Speed skating, 10 a.m., ESPNU
• TENNIS: Australian Open (taped), 2 p.m., ESPN2
• BASKETBALL: Boston College at North Carolina, 7 p.m., BALLY SOUTH
• BASKETBALL: N.C. State at Georgia Tech, 7 p.m., ACCN
• BASKETBALL: Davidson at Dayton, 7 p.m., CBSSN
• NBA: Toronto at Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m., TNT
• BASKETBALL: Clemson at Wake Forest, 9 p.m., BALLY SOUTH
• NBA: Philadelphia at L.A. Clippers, 10 p.m., TNT
• TENNIS: Australian Open 9 p.m., ESPN2
Sonny Jones can be reached at wibbyj@gmail.com.
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