MIAA

MIAA basketball playoff picture

2/2/2010

Here is a look at how things shape up.

A Conference

In the A Conference, top-ranked Mount St. Joseph has locked up the top seed. The Gaels (26-2 overall) are 12-0 in the league with just two conference games to play. Second place Calvert Hall (17-4, 8-2) and third place St. Frances (16-8, 7-2) could still potentially forge a tie, but St. Joe, which has defeated St. Frances twice and Calvert Hall once, owns the tie-breakers.

This leaves the Cardinals and Panthers to battle for the second seed and the first round playoff bye that comes with it. Although the Cardinals currently have the half game lead, St. Frances may have the inside track to take the second seed. The Panthers have already defeated the Cardinals once and they have a more favorable schedule.

The battle for second place will most likely come down to the season's final game, as the Panthers host Calvert Hall on Feb. 12. Prior to then, Calvert Hall will be at Archbishop Spalding, on Tuesday, at McDonogh on Friday and at home against St. Joe on Feb. 9. The Cardinals also have a non-conference game at St. Maria Goretti on Sunday.

St. Frances still has a lot of basketball to play. In addition to two non-conference games, the Panthers are at Cardinal Gibbons on Tuesday, home for Spalding on Thursday and McDonogh on Sunday, before hosting John Carroll and Calvert Hall next week.

The race for seeds four, five and six is also tight.

John Carroll (8-17, 4-6) and Loyola (10-11, 4-7) are in solid position to reach the playoffs and they will battle for the fourth seed, which comes with the right to host a quarterfinal game. Loyola won the first meeting between the two teams and will visit the Patriots on Tuesday afternoon. With games remaining against St. Joe, St. Frances and Gibbons, the Patriots need a win over the Dons to keep hope alive for the fourth seed.

In addition to John Carroll, Loyola closes with a home game with Gibbons, on Sunday, and a visit to McDonogh, next Tuesday.

Spalding (6-15, 3-8), Gibbons (10-12, 2-8) and McDonogh (7-10, 2-9) each are still contending for the sixth and final spot.

Spalding has a tough schedule, as it hosts Calvert Hall Tuesday, visits St. Frances on Thursday and closes with Gibbons on Friday, at home. The Cavs are a half game ahead of Gibbons and full game in front of McDongh. The Eagles (7-10, 2-9) and Cavaliers have split two meetings. McDonogh still has Calvert Hall on Friday, St. Frances on Sunday and Loyola next Tuesday.

B Conference

The B Conference features two divisions with three playoff spots in each. In the Black Division, Glenelg Country and St. Vincent Pallotti have locked up their tickets to the post-season, but continue to battle for the top seed. Glenelg (15-4, 9-2) won the first meeting between the two and can lock down the top seed with a win in the rematch on Wednesday. The Dragons also visit Boys' Latin, on Tuesday, and Annapolis Area Christian, on Friday.

Pallotti (17-5, 7-3) also has games remaining at Friends, on Tuesday, against St. Mary's, at home on Friday, and against Severn, at home next Tuesday.

The third seed in the division is a close chase between AACS (7-14, 4-6), defending league champion St. Mary's (9-11, 4-7) and Severn (5-18, 4-8).

Although it holds the lead at the moment, AACS has a tough schedule down the stretch, playing at Mount Carmel on Tuesday, at home against Friends, on Thursday, and Glenelg Country, on Friday, before closing the regular season at St. Mary's, next Tuesday. The Eagles split with Severn this year and won their first meeting with the Saints.

St. Mary's, which has also split with Severn, visits St. Paul's on Tuesday and Pallotti on Friday, before closing with AACS.

Severn has just two games to go, as it visits Archbishop Curley on Tuesday and Pallotti, next Tuesday.

Gilman (17-3, 10-3), which has won 15 straight games has the lead in the Red Division, as Mount Carmel (15-8, 8-4) and St. Paul's (12-6, 8-4) sit just one game back in the loss column. Curley (8-13, 6-6) remains in the playoff mix, but the Friars are down two games in the loss column with just three games to play.

Gilman plays at Boys' Latin on Friday and hosts St. Paul's next Tuesday. The Greyhounds split with Mount Carmel and won their first meeting with St. Paul's. Two more wins would assure the top seed for Gilman.

Following Tuesday's game with St. Mary's, St. Paul's will host Mount Carmel on Friday, before closing at Gilman. Mount Carmel hosts AACS tonight and Curley next Tuesday, in addition to its showdown with St. Paul's.

Curley, which won its first meeting with Mount Carmel but was swept by St. Paul's, must win out and get some help. In addition to the final game with the Cougars, Curley hosts Severn on Tuesday and visits Friends on Friday.

C Conference

Only four playoff spots are available in the C Conference, where Chapelgate Christian (19-5, 8-0) is undefeated. The Yellowjackets have four games to go and can lock down the top seed with a win over Beth Tfiloh, at home, next Tuesday. Chapelgate won the first meeting.

Beth Tfiloh (13-5, 7-1) still has designs on the top seed and can clinch a playoff berth with just one win in its final four games. Key (9-8, 5-2) is also in very good position for the playoffs. The Obezags, who won the 2008 league title and reached last year's final, have five games to go.

Park (10-9, 4-5) holds a half game lead over Indian Creek (6-10, 3-5) for the fourth seed. Park won the first meeting and the Bruins can take a major step towards the playoffs if they complete the season sweep of the Eagles when the two teams meet again, Friday at Park.

The MIAA has also announced date changes for the first two rounds of the playoffs. The quarterfinals of the A and B Conferences will now be played on Tuesday, Feb. 16, on the home court of the higher seeds. In addition, the semifinals of all three conferences will now be played on Feb. 18, again on the home courts of the higher seeds.

For the second straight year, the finals will be held at UMBC. Slated for Sunday, Feb. 21, the finals will begin with the C Conference at 1:00 p.m., followed by the B Conference at 3:15 p.m. and the A Conference at 5:30 p.m.