Girls basketball ranking formula

[kevhol]

Here's an observation I've made. In most of the classes the formula for power ratings have been pretty close to picking ultimately the best in each class. For example:

5A #1 v. #2 with #1 winning
4A #1 v. #2 with #1 winning
3A #1 v. #3 with #1 winning
2A #1 v. #2 with #1 winning
1A #8 v. #3 with #8 winning
B #1 v. #6 with #1 winning
C #4 v. #2 with #4 winning

That's pretty darn good in my opinion. What formula does basketball use and why can't that same formula be used for softball? Now, I know all the politics of why softball isn't using a formula, so no need to go there. I don't understand all the details of the formulas used for power ratings, but whatever the LHSAA is using for basketball seems to be working pretty well.

[kenramsey]

i think this is a fair ranking system for baseball and softball, too. softball used my numbers (basketball formula) last year as a guide to their coach-seed process. i understand that every coach in the state had a copy of my power ratings and i think that's a good job of them all doing their homework. i can give them the same rankings again this year.

they tell me baseball has decided to use an unproven formula , and against the advice of someone (not me) who knows it's not good for their sport. softball is now also considering using that same, unproven, baseball formula.

i'm going to have to take the advice and trust the wisdom of amok. remember that name on our old forum? amok is the one who wrote the formula adopted by the lhsaa and school principals for football. that formula gives no advantage or disadvantage to a team who plays less than 10 games. it also protects their opponents from losing power points for playing someone who had an 8 or 9 game schedule. that was a great idea.

we tested that formula on kenramsey.com to prove his theory. he's a very smart man and if he says the football formula is bad for baseball and softball, i think he is certainly qualified to make that assessment. he has semi-tested the football formula for baseball. that's more than anyone else has done, to my knowledge.

mark my word. it doesn't matter which formula they chose. once they settle on one, the whole system is all about scheduling. making that schedule is the most important factor in any power rating system that we have. ask a football coach. they know the system and they know how to make their schedule so it will be in their favor. there's nothing wrong with that. that's just smart coaching.

if we don't have every score, the rankings will not be accurate. no one is required to send scores to me. but if they do, i can do someting with them.

let me know what they decide to do so i can get a little programming done. it takes time to get a fix like that for my computer.

[kevhol]

Thanks for the info Ken. I did not know that you used the basketball formula to calculate baseball and softball last year. I do know that coaches relied HEAVILY on your ratings last softball season when making their final rankings.

I also know that the Louisiana Softball Coaches Association has asked the LHSAA Executive Committee to approve a rating formula for softball. I would like to see the basketball formula approved. I don't know about the unproven formula you speak of. Do you know what the formula is? Not that I could understand it anyway, I just wish they would approve one and use it.

I also encourage coaches, fan, booster members, etc. to promptly and accurately report scores across the state. That's the ONLY way any formula will work.

[kenramsey]

I don't know about the unproven formula you speak of. Do you know what the formula is?

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the baseball formula is on the lhsaa website and it's nearly the same as football. the baseball coaches have told me that don't like any formula that does not give points for playing up in class and they also want all of their opponent wins added to their power points, regardless of whether they win or lose that game. those are the biggest issues to them, i believe.

if amok says they are not going to like it, i have to go agree with him. he's a numbers man and has tested that formula before for baseball. i'm going to call amok right now!
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