Skip to main content

The Pennsylvania hoops version of the BCS


Last weekend, I was surfing the 'Net (as the young folks would say) when I found something called the Born Power Index. Basically, it's a formula that ranks every boys' basketball or football team in Pennsylvania (or New Jersey, if that's your thing) according to several factors. Sort of like a Pa. hoops version of the BCS, except way less polarizing.

I won't try to decipher the formula, except to say the Web site explains its method as such:

The Born Power Index is an ever changing mathematical evaluation of a team's relative strength against similar competition i.e. a team indexed at 60.0 has been consistently 10 points per game stronger than a team indexed at 50.0 leaning more heavily toward most recent encounters. The index includes a blowout factor that rewards teams for doing well against stronger opponents and discourages running up the score against weaker teams.

Anyway, I did a little fiddling around on the site to see where the Born Power Index ranked YAIAA teams.

By far the highest rated team was Eastern York. The Golden Knights were ranked fourth in the state in any classification, with a rating of 84.0 out of 100. Eastern was the third-ranked Class AAA team, coming in behind Philadelphia Catholic League power Neumann and Goretti (93.4 grade, ranked 17th in the nation by Maxpreps) and WPIAL school Chartiers Valley (92.6). The Golden Knights ranked first in District 3, Class AAA according to the power index.

Other highlights after the jump.

- Red Lion was the YAIAA's highest-rated quad-A school (74.7), ranking 28th in the state and 14th among AAAA schools. The Lions were ranked fourth among District 3, AAAA teams.

- William Penn (73.5) wasn't far behind, coming in a 33rd overall. Although the Bearcats' negative "report card" rating of -7.43 means their rating has fallen this season.

- West York was 81st overall with a grade of 68.0. The Bulldogs are also rated third in District 3, AAA according to the rankings.

- York Suburban was next, its 66.0 rating good for 113th. The Trojans are rated fourth among Class AAA teams in the district.

- No love for Hanover, which ranks 278th with a 54.5 rating. The Nighthawks are fourth among District 3, Class AA teams, one spot behind Delone Catholic (which they beat twice).

Needless to say, I'd be hesitant to put too much stock in these ratings. Although it sure is a fun time-killer, if you have YAIAA hoops on the brain.