Everyone likes to have a second chance, especially when they screwed things up the first time.
Basketball teams in Jeffco’s Class 5A and 4A leagues will have some second opportunities when it comes to their conference rivals. It’s not a bad thing to have home-and-away contests between Jeffco foes.
Plusses clearly outweigh the minuses with Jeffco squads doubling up against four league teams during the conference schedule.
The new league format splits the leagues into north and south divisions. The north division in 5A features Arvada West, Lakewood, Pomona, Ralston Valley and Standley Lake. The south division sports Bear Creek, Chatfield, Columbine, Dakota Ridge and Green Mountain. Each team plays a 13-game league schedule by facing squads in its common division twice.
The 4A Jeffco leagues work the same way in their 11-team conferences. The north (Arvada, Centaurus, Golden, Summit and Wheat Ridge) and south (Alameda, Conifer, D’Evelyn, Elizabeth, Englewood and Evergreen) divisions do the similar format to fill out a 14-game league schedule.
One of the only drawbacks I see is if one division has much stronger teams than the other. The unbalanced schedule would make it an easier path for a team in a weak division to steal a league title.
The numerous benefits strongly support that this change was the right move.
• Saving money: Everyone talks about saving the almighty dollar these days. Playing non-league games miles from home chipped away at athletic budgets. Staying closer to home eliminates some travel costs.
• Fan interest: If you have ever gone to a non-league high school basketball in mid-January you have witnessed the community interest — not much. Golden-Wheat Ridge, Arvada West-Pomona, Arvada West-Ralston Valley and Bear Creek-Green Mountain playing a home-and-away series will bring at least a little more attendance.
• Coaching adjustments: The new format will allow coaches to show off their abilities. It will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments coaches make the second time around against teams.
The majority of the second chances against league teams will begin around the first week of February. It should be an exciting run the last few weeks of the regular season with teams scrambling to get their hands on a prized league title.