Trying to Reason Through District 12 Playoff Season
Written by: Jon K on March 8, 2023
Trying to Reason Through District 12 Playoff Season
On Saturday afternoon District 2 Champion Abington Heights hosts the #4 team from District 12, Murrell Dobbins Vocational (25-2), while District 2 Runner-Up West Scranton entertains the #3 team from District 12, West Philadelphia (15-11), on Friday evening. The Northeast Beat had several inquiries asking how the Boys 5A seeds from District 12 were determined for the upcoming PIAA First Round. Where is their playoff bracket? And what was the score between Dobbins and West Philly to determine the #3 and #4 seeds? Actually…they never played each other. Confused?
District 12 is made up of two powerhouse leagues, the Philly Public League and the Philly Catholic League. Depending on the number of teams in each classification, District 12 sets up their seeding positions to give equal representation to both leagues. The brackets are not so much on a District 12 level as much as they are a used by both leagues to determine champions and teams that advance the furthest. Still confused?
Lets’ get back to “The Pub” playoffs this year. Both Dobbins Tech and West Philadelphia, which are both 5A teams, advanced through the early playoff rounds. Both teams continued into the semi-finals with noteworthy victories, Dobbins getting a big win over Math, Civics, and Science while West Philly topped Boys’ Latin. In the semis against nationally-ranked Imhotep Charter, Dobbins dropped a 69-51 loss. The Speedboys from West Philly got another big win over Constitution, 58-52, to move into the title game. But, in the championship game, ‘Tep defeated West Philly, 72-43.
Imhotep Charter then played in the 5A District 12 Championship game against the top 5A team from the Philly Catholic League, Archbishop Ryan, to determine the #1 and #2 seeds for District 12 (Imhotep won 69-58). Because West Philadelphia advanced further than any other 5A Pub team, they were automatically given the #3 District 12 seed as the PPL #2 team. So, that’s how Dobbins Tech ended up as the #4 seed. Well, not so fast.
The PPL #3 team (Dobbins Tech) then had to take on the Philly Catholic League #2 team (Monsignor Bonner-Prendergast) in a play-in game to determine the #4 seed from District 12. Dobbins won that matchup, 56-54.
As Jimmy Buffet would say, it’s “simply complicated”. But, the system works within an incredibly deep and talent-filled district of hoops.
Enjoy the playoffs !!!
Follow LLhoops on Twitter @LLhoops
