OLYMPIA — The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association released its initial ratings percentage index rankings for prep basketball.
RPI is important for postseason regional basketball tournament seedings and if a team has a high enough RPI, it can result in avoiding loser-out scenarios in the tournament. It’s a formula that takes into account a team’s win percentage, the win percentage of team’s opponents and even the win percentage of opponents’ opponents. Strength of schedule is also part of the formula.
In boys’ basketball, Port Angeles, which has played three 4A teams this season to beef up its schedule, including the No. 7 and No. 11 4A teams in the state, is ranked 14th among 2A schools with a 6-3 record. The No. 2-ranked RPI team in the state, North Kitsap (12-1 overall) is scheduled to play in Port Angeles on Saturday. Both teams are unbeaten in the Olympic 2A League. The No. 1-ranked 2A school is White River (9-1).
Sequim is ranked 43rd out of 62 2A schools.
In 1A, East Jefferson is ranked No. 45 out of 59 schools, while the Forks boys (7-6) are ranked 27th out of 57 schools in 2B.
Forks is in one of the top basketball leagues at the 2B level. Pacific 2B League members Chief Leschi (10-0) is ranked No. 1, while Ilwaco is ranked No. 5 in RPI with a record of 11-1.
In 1B, Neah Bay (5-1) is ranked No. 12, Crescent (5-2) is No. 36, Quilcene (2-3) is No. 40 and Clallam Bay (0-3) is No. 54. There are 73 1B teams in the state.
In girls basketball, Sequim, Port Angeles and Neah Bay all have solid rankings.
Sequim, which beat Port Angeles last week for the first time in seven years, is ranked No. 11 in the state among 2A schools with a 11-2 record. Port Angeles is ranked No. 17 with a 5-5 record. Tumwater at 14-0 is ranked No. 1.
East Jefferson is No. 58 among 1A schools. Forks (6-3) is 16th among 55 2B schools. The top 1A school is Montesano (10-1) and the top 2B school is Okanogon (14-0).
Forks’ Pacific 2B League foe Raymond (8-1) is ranked No. 3 in the state.
The Neah Bay girls (5-1) are ranked No. 7 among 1B schools, while Crescent (7-3) is ranked No. 31. Clallam Bay is ranked No. 46 (0-3) and Quilcene No. 60 (1-8). The top-ranked 1B school is Grace Academy at 5-0.
In an Associated Press poll released late Wednesday, conducted among sports writers in the state, the North Kitsap boys were ranked No. 1 among 2A schools, while the Port Angeles boys were ranked No. 8.
The Sequim and Port Angeles girls basketball teams both received votes in the AP poll, but neither team cracked the Top 10.
