I've saw, it, you've saw it, we've all saw it. The district tournaments are almost over for a group of four to play. The Consolation game is played before the Championship game. Yeah, yeah, hear me out.
Ok, so is the consolation game even "worth" playing anymore? Hmm, let's see.
Ok, consider the situation: In the Region Tournament, District A's top four plays District B's top four, in the 1 v 4, 2 v 3 usual format.
All of the District A, and the District B teams have played OR have scrimmaged each other and know each other VERY well.
So, the night of the consolation games, the better of the 3 or 4th seeded/winners decide, "Hmm, now if we win 3rd place we gotta play in Team (B or A's) Champ's bracket (The overall favorite and way better of the two District Winners), but if we lose we'll get in other Champ's bracket." So, we need to....
Yep, you guessed it, they "throw the game." They fool around, miss easy lay-ups, halfheartedly play D, miss free-throws, commit TO's, etc, etc, etc.
So again I ask, is the consolation game "worth playing," anymore?
Ok, if it is, and one doesn't want to mess with tradition, then so be it, case closed, move along, move along...
BUT, if one wants to make the consolation game IMPORTANT, there is another way to make the WHOLE District Tournament worth fully "competing" in. Yes, this would eliminate a school from participating in the region, but consider it just for a moment.
District tournament goes on as played, however, only 3 teams advance to the Region, with District champs getting a bye. Yes, I KNOW IT WON'T HAPPEN.
I'm just tired of teams "throwing/tanking/whatever you want to call it," the games.
Oh, well, .... happy Regioning...