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With all the asterisks littering the records pages on any of the Eastern Maine Tournament’s basketball programs, it makes one wonder why anyone bothers to keep track of them anymore.
Of the 32 tournament records (16 boys, 16 girls) compiled by York basketball statistician Robert Butler, 15 include some with asterisks printed after them.
The asterisks signify that these individual or team records were set with the aid of a preliminary playoff game.
These prelims are held in classes which have 17 or more teams, like East classes B and C. This is due to a state rule regarding playoffs specifying that 50 percent of a class’ field may qualify for postseason play.
This means that if Eastern Maine Class A has 18 teams next year, nine teams will play postseason ball, but numbers 8 and 9 will have a playoff to determine who goes to the tournament.
This points out the first thing wrong with the practice of recognizing these “asterisked” records:
If two teams are playing off for the right to get into the tournament, they’re not actually in yet. If they’re not in the tournament, why should anything done by any of those teams or their individual players in the prelim games count as a tournament record?
It makes no sense. Just by marking these records with asterisks, tournament officials are admitting there’s something unique or unbalanced about the circumstances surrounding the records that needs to be noted.
For instance, Hampden Academy and John Bapst are credited with the boys records for team points scored in a regional tournament in Classes B and C, respectively.
The problem? Both teams played prelim games and went on the Eastern Maine final – giving them four postseason playoff games when most other teams play only three.
The other thing wrong with these “asterisked” records is many of the teams or individuals who set them did so on their home courts instead of the primary tournament court used by all other teams.
Rather than play at the same, neutral court used by most teams – be it the Bangor Auditorium, the old auditorium, or the Brewer Auditorium – many of the teams or players credited with these dubious records set them at a court they were very familiar with in front of a partisan, friendly, home crowd.
Schenck of East Millinocket standout Stephanie Carter is listed as the Class C record-holder for both most points (128) and free throws (45) scored in a girls regional tournament. Both stats are tops among all four classes.
Pretty impressive statistics until one factors in the fact she had one extra game to set both marks.
Yes, she played the first of those four games on the road, but it’s still an unfair advantage over all those who played just three games.
It’s time to kick the asterisks out of the book and put everyone on an even playing field, or in this case, court.
Make these tournament records something people can take legitimate pride in without having to explain or apologize for their special circumstances.
Records set in, or due to preliminary playoff games have no place in the tournament record book.
– Andrew Neff, BDN
Readers may submit “Sounding Off” comments to the Bangor Daily News’ Sports Desk at P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329. Our fax number is (207) 990-8092. All comments will be edited for accuracy, clarity, content, and taste.
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