Opt-in window opens for basketball teams wanting to enter WPIAL playoffs

By: Chris Harlan
Monday, February 1, 2021 | 4:43 PM

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The WPIAL wants to know: Is your basketball team in or out?

The window opened Monday for schools to notify the WPIAL whether they’ll take part in the boys and girls basketball playoffs this winter. An online registration form was sent to athletic directors, who have until 3 p.m. Feb. 18 to respond, WPIAL executive director Amy Scheuneman said.

The WPIAL board voted in December to hold an open postseason tournament for all schools that choose to participate. The open tournament eliminates the dilemma of choosing playoff qualifiers from unbalanced section standings.

Teams that are opting out of the playoffs don’t need to reply to the WPIAL, only those wanting to take part.

“They have to opt in,” Scheuneman said. “It’s not assumed that they’re participating.”

The WPIAL basketball steering committee will meet Feb. 23 to seed the tournament. Brackets will be revealed that night, Scheuneman said. The first games could be as early as Feb. 27.

To participate in the playoffs, schools must agree to play teams with “varying mask policies.” In other words, teams must be willing to share the court with opponents who don’t wear masks during competition.

Currently, some schools are requiring masks to be worn by their athletes and opponents. Those schools must amend their policy for the postseason or opt out of the playoffs.

Scheuneman said she wasn’t sure how many teams might opt out. Nobody has officially notified the WPIAL that they don’t plan to participate.

“We’ll send out reminders,” Scheuneman said. “If we see somebody that maybe we have questions about, we can contact them to confirm that they’re not participating. But by and large, whoever completes the registration form will be seeded into the tournament.”

Higher-seeded teams will be allowed to host playoff games, if they meet WPIAL requirements. A separate survey about hosting events will be sent to schools Feb. 15.

To host, gyms must be able to meet a minimum attendance under current gathering limits set by Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration. The WPIAL hasn’t set that number in case state restrictions change in the coming weeks.

Wolf’s administration has limited events held at indoor venues with a capacity of 2,000 people or less to 10% of capacity. Venues that hold between 2,001 and 10,000 are capped at 5%.

Also, schools must be willing to host opponents with varying mask policies.

“Some schools have their own facility policy where they say, ‘We’re wearing masks and anybody coming to us has got to wear a mask,’” Scheuneman said.

Those schools might be willing to play an unmasked opponent on the road instead, she said.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.