Philly Summer League: Some Tie-Breaking Scenarios for Wild Finish Ahead

By Mel Greenberg

Get ready for a wild finish Tuesday night in the regular season of the Philadelphia/Suburban Women's NCAA Summer Basketball League at Kelly Bolish Gym in Hatboro, Pa.

As stated 24 hours ago, as many as nine teams could tie for third at 6-6 behind Gold (10-1) and White (9-2), which will finish 1-2 no matter what in terms of seeds because Gold has the head-to-head win.

Every game except the Gold (clinched) vs. Red (eliminated) game has a playoff implication for the postseason, which begins Thursday night with the quarterfinals.

Though the precise times are listed below, having extracted pieces of the regular report such as the current standings for this file and abbrieviated tracker to just list the teams still in the hunt, for the purpose of presenting a few scenarios for tiebreakers, to help you all avoid scrolling up and down, here are the matchups on the final night of the 12-game schedule.

Maroon (6-6) completed its season the other night and has the remaining bye among the 13 teams.

The games, with better records listed first except in one case for the purposes of setting up scenarios, are:

Sky Blue (6-5) vs. Navy Blue (5-6)
Purple (6-5) vs. Pink (5-6)
Orange (6-5) vs. Kelly Green (5-6)
Hunter Green (6-5) vs. Royal Blue (0-11)
Black 6-5 vs. White (9-2).
Maroon (6-6) has the bye.

If Navy Blue, Pink and Kelly Green all lose, the field will be set and then ties will just be needed to be broken to set the remaining seeds behind Gold and White.

If they all win, it gets wild.

Some teams seem to be likely in the field right now, even if the clinch tag hasn't been applied, in terms of having run a few scenarios.

But to list every one, though the temptation of the Guru was the go through that, might take until the collegiate season is under way to contemplate and then most of them will be a moot point.

Basically, a win will be a ticket for all the 6-5 teams going into the contest and of course, if Black, a heavy under dog, and Hunter Green (a heavy favorite) are the only teams to take losses, they would still be in the field.

The mechanics are in place to quickly figure out the qualifiers and pairings by the time the nightcaps end because two of the 6-5 teams play in the 7 p.m. games.

All this is a result of the way the season paired out -- certainly the forfeits apparently had an impact and the cause of some of those forfeits would cause some observers to describe them as NCAA-induced, a discussion for another day.

But one could say in terms of constructing the schedule, nice going Mr. Commissioner, since David Kessler having no way of seeing into the future except his impending hip replacement surgery at the time, in producing parity for the most part.

Now, here are some scenarios that could happen and as a special treat, the Guru will give you a look at how the nine-team or eight-team deadlocks would result.

As procedure, here first is how the system would work and the Guru did confer with some of his contacts at collegiate conferences for guidance on a few options because these people have to go through the same thing leading to March Madness.

Between any two teams, head-to-head will take precedence.

In a group of teams, the record against each other within a group will create a mini-standings. Best records go into the field.

If slots still need to be filled, the next best records from the original break will also move forward and if there is an overflow, then a similar group head-to-head will be used to determine who is eliminated.

The same procedure will be used for establishing the 3-8 seeds that have yet to be determined.

If it is impossible to break a record-tie within a group, then whichever team has the best win against someone above -- such as the Pink win over Gold or the Orange win over White -- that will be used.

As for the scenarios here, in case the Guru misread something, they will be re-done again on the scene to make sure every team got proper treatment.

The Guru even scratched his previous schedule for the night to be in Washington for a key WNBA game against New York, but not to worry because at least one Guru operative, maybe two, will be providing coverage.

OK, all that said, here a few scenarios that could play out.

Scenario No. 1 -- The Five 7-5 Teams All Win

Move No. 1

Third seed Black 3-1
Sky Blue 2-2
Orange 2-2
Hunter Green 2-2
Seventh seed Purple 1-3
Eighth seed Maroon predetermined 6-6.

Sky Blue 1-1
Orange 1-1
Hunter Green 1-1

Using next level
Sky Blue and Orange beat Purple, while Hunter Green did not to fall to sixth.

This is the only case in scenarios tested where a loss to a low team had an effect. Orange then has a head-to-head win over Sky Blue.

The resulting seeds are

1. Gold
2. White
3. Black
4. Orange
5. Sky Blue
6. Hunter Green
7. Purple
8. Maroon

Scenario No. 2 -- Favorites Except Hunter Green wins

Hunter Green off loss drops to 6-6 and gets seventh seed on head to head over Maroon.

Next wihtin the four-way tie

Black 3-0 for third seed
Orange 2-1 for fourth
Sky Blue 1-2 for fifth
Purple 0-3 for sixth

The resulting seeds are:
1. Gold
2. White
3. Black
4. Orange
5. Sky Blue
6. Hunter Green
7. Purple
8. Maroon

Scenrario No. 3 -- Only Black Loses in Top Group

Black goes to seventh seed with head-to-head win over No. 8 Maroon

Orange and Sky Blue at 2-1 with head to head to Orange for third.
Purple and Hunter Green at 1-2 with head to head to Purple for fifth.

Resulting Seeds are:

1. Gold
2. White
3. Orange
4. Sky Blue
5. Purple
6. Hunter Green
7. Black
8. Maroon

Scenario No. 4 -- The Nine-Way Tie

Hunter Green 6-2 for third seed
Black 5-3 for fourth seed
Sky Blue 4-4
Purple 4-4
Maroon 4-4
Kelly Green 4-4
Navy Blue 4-4
Pink 3-5 eliminated
Orange 3-5 eliminated

Next tiebreaking

Sky Blue 3-1 gets fith seed
Purple and Maroon 2-2 with Purple sixth on head-to-head with Maroon seventh.

Kelly Green and Navy Blue tied 1-3 with Kelly Green winning head-to-head and Navy Blue eliminated.

The resulting seeds are:

1. Gold
2. White
3. Hunter Green
4. Black
5. Sky Blue
6. Purple
7, Maroon
8. Kelly Green

Scenario No. 5 -- Eight-Way Tie With Hunter Green Winning

Hunter Green gets third seed at 7-5

Black at 5-2 gets fourth seed
Maroon and Navy Blue are 4-3 with Maroon head-to-head for fifth and Navy Blue sixth.

Orange, Sky Blue, Kelly Green, Kelly Green and Pink tied 2-2 within group after Purple eliminated from the previous 3-4 ties.

Pink with win over Gold gets seventh seed
Orange with win over White gets eighth seed

Resulting Seeds are:

1. Gold
2. White
3. Hunter Green
4. Black
5. Maroon
6. Navy Blue
7. Pink
8. Orange

Scenario No. 6 -- Black loses and Pink Upsets Purple

Hunter Green, Orange, and Sky Blue 1-1 within group.

Orange gets third seed with win over White.

Sky Blue gets fourth seed over Hunter Green head-to-head.

Remaining Teams

Within group: Black and Pink 2-1, sixth to Pink head to head.

Maroon and Purple tied 1-2, eighth seed to Maroon head-to-head.

Resulting Seeds

1. Gold
2. White
3. Orange
4. Sky Blue
5. Hunter Green
6. Pink
7. Black
8. Maroon

As you see we can go on and on with this so it's time for the players to settle things.

Here are the times and courts and the sources for breaking ties and current standings, as well as the playoff schedule.

Upcoming Schedule

Tuesday, August 5

7 p.m.

Sky Blue (6-5) vs. Navy Blue (5-6), Court 1
Purple (6-5) vs. Pink (5-6), Court 2
Hunter Green (6-5) vs. Royal Blue (0-11), Court 3

8:15 p.m.

Orange (6-5) vs. Kelly Green (5-6), Court 1
Red (2-9) vs. Gold (10-1), Court 2
Black (6-5) vs. White (9-2), Court 3

Bye: Maroon

Abbrievated Tracker for Playoff Seeds and Tiebreakers
Placements now reflect seeds (in front of team name) thru games completed on July 29 and remaining opponent

3-Hunter Green (6-5) Gold (L), Purp. (L), N.B. (W), Pink (W), Red (W), vs. Black (W), White (L), Orange (W), Maroon (W), S.B. (L), K.G. (L), Bye, vs. R.B.

4-Black (6-5): Pink (L), Red (L), Orange (W), K.G. (W-F), R.B. (W), H.G. (L), Purple (W), N.B.(L), Maroon (W), S.B.(W), vs. Gold (L), vs. White.

5-Orange (6-5): Gold (L), Black (L), Purple (W-F), Pink (W), Maroon (L), S.B. (W), H.G. (L), White (W), R.B. (W), Red (W), vs. N.B. (L), vs. K.G.

6-Sky Blue: (6-5) R.B.(W), Pink (L), White (L), Maroon(W), Purple (W), Orge (L), K.G. (W), Gold (L), H.G.(W), Black (L),, Red (W), N.B.

7-Purple (6-5): N.B.(W), H.G.(W), White (L), Orange (L-F), Gold (L), S.B. (L), K.G. (W), Black (L), R.B. (W), Red (W), Maroon (W), Pink

*8-Maroon (6-6): Red (W), K.G. (W-F), Gold (L), R.B. (W), S.B. (L), Orange (W), N.B. (W), Pink (W), H.G. (L), Black (L), White (L-F), Purple (L), Bye

9-Kelly Green (5-6): White (L), Maroon (L-F), Black (L-F), N.B. (W-OT), Red (W), Purple (L), S.B. (L), Pink (W), Gold (L), H.G. (W), R.B. (W-F), Orange

10-Navy Blue (5-6): Purple (L), Pink (W),H.G.(L), Red (W), K.G. (L-OT), Maroon (L), Gold (L), Black (W), R.B. (W), Orange (W), S.B.

11-Pink (5-6): Black (W), N.B. (L), S.B. (W), H.G. (L), Orng (L ), R.B. (W), Red (W-OT), Maroon (L), K.G. (L), Gold (W), White (L), Purple

@-Clinched top seed
&-Clinched second seed
*-Completed regular season

Standings (Thru Monday, August 4)

Team, W-L, Pct., G.B., Pts., Opp Pts.

@x-Gold, 10-1, .909, --, 832 652
&x-fw-White, 9-2, .818, 1.0, 716 530
Hunter Green, 6-5, .545, 4.0, 648 706
w-Black, 6-5, .545, 4.0, 520 527
Orange, 6-5, .545, 4.0, 645 646
Sky Blue, 6-5, .545, 4.0, 639 559
fl-Purple, 6-5, .545, 4.0, 570 523
fw, fl-Maroon, 6-6, .500, 4.5, 715 597
fw,fl(2)-Kelly Green, 5-6,.833, 5.0, 443 505
Navy Blue, 5-6, .833, 5.0, 709 696
Pink, 5-6, .833, 5.0, 560 544
Red, 2-9, .182, 8.0, 545 752
fl-Royal Blue, 0-11, .000, 10.0, 574 787

x -- Clinched playoff slot
@ -- Clinched top seed
& -- Clinched second seed
fw -- inc. forfeit win, fl -- inc. forfeit loss


Playoff Schedule

Quarterfinals

Thursday, August 7

7 p.m.
8th seed vs. Gold, Court 1
6th seed vs. 3rd seed, Court 2

8:15 p.m.

7th seed vs. White, Court 1
5rh seed vs. 4th seed, Court 2

Semifinals

Tuesday, Aug. 12

7 p.m.

Highest surviving seed vs. lowest surviving seed, Court 1

8:15 p.m.

Remaining quarterfinals survivors, Court 1

Championship

Thursday, Aug. 14

Semifinal survivors, Court 1

That's it for this report.

-- Mel


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