Starting in the 2022-23 basketball season, the AIA is adopting an Open Division playoff tournament bracket for both boys and girls basketball, similar to that of football in the past few years.
The announcement was officially made by AIA Executive Director David Hines at the association's media day event on August 12.
The tournament, unlike football, will include 32 teams, although jut eight will compete in the final bracket for the championship. Eight teams each from the 4A, 5A, and 6A conference will qualify as well as eight additional at-large teams to fill out the initial bracket.
For the first two rounds, the teams in the open division bracket will compete in a single-elimination format, but the loser of each game will drop down to their conference’s bracket. When round two in the open division begins, the conferences will have their play-in games. After the second round, the teams in both the conference brackets and in the open division bracket will be reseeded.
This is a positive development for the AIA and its member schools. As the number of prep basketball programs have grown expeditiously in Arizona over the past few years, the need for the AIA to stay an attractive option has grown as well.
Since the end of 2021-22 AIA basketball season, four all-conference AIA players have transferred to prep schools. Mark Brown formerly of Mountain Pointe transferred to Bella Vista prep. Rivals Top 75 recruit Tru Washington transferred from Mountain Pointe as well, but to Arizona Compass Prep. KJ Perry of Gilbert transferred to McClintock, then to Arizona Compass Prep. EJ Scroggins left McClintock as well, to Arizona Compass Prep.
The AIA did have a banner off-season for basketball though. Sixty-four schools participated in the biggest high school basketball team event on the west coast, Section 7. Perry high school alum Jalen Williams was drafted number 12 in the NBA draft. Dalen Terry, who started his high school career at Corona Del Sol, was drafted number 18. And former Cesar Chavez star TyTy Washington was also drafted in the first round by the Houston Rockets.
The highest ranked Arizona based player is Cody Williams, the younger brother of Jalen who is currently ranked No. 48 in the country. Two prep players are ranked higher by Rivals but neither started in Arizona nor have spent two or more seasons in Arizona.
With the adoption of the new playoff system, the AIA can continue to be the premier source for basketball in Arizona. The open division bracket has the potential to be one of the best playoff brackets on the west coast.
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