Tri-County Basketball League
RANKINGS AND SEEDINGS
All TCBL teams make the playoffs regardless of record. It is essential to TCBL’s philosophy that all of our teams have the chance to experience the thrill of March Madness. Most TCBL divisions are standard; that is, all teams play balanced schedules (i.e., A’s play A’s, B’s play B’s, etc.). In such cases, TCBL’s regular-season rankings and playoff seedings will be determined as described below.
Please note, however, that TCBL–in furtherance of its parity goals–may use its discretion to:
In certain weighted divisions, TCBL will use its discretion to create as much parity as possible. For example, a grade/gender may have 15 total teams consisting of, say, 6 A’s, 5 B’s, and 4 C’s. Since no sub-category has enough teams to form its own division, in such instances, TCBL will use available data to 1) increase the variety of opponents; 2) maximize peer matchups; and 3) minimize or eliminate likely mismatches (e.g., A vs. C).
For these weighted divisions, regular-season standings will not necessarily predict playoff brackets, given the significant variation in strength of schedule.
DETERMINING RANKINGS AND SEEDINGS FOR STANDARD DIVISIONS
If the full 14-game schedule is played in a standard division, rankings are determined based on won-loss record within divisional play. In the case of a tie, please refer to the tiebreakers below.If less than a full schedule is played, the highest winning percentage (wins divided by the total games played, subject to the HTH exception* below) determines the rankings, also subject to the tiebreakers below.
*HTH exception example to winning percentage: If one team is 5-8 (38.5%) and another is 5-9 (35.7%), but the 5-9 team had a better record in HTH competition, then the 5-9 team would secure the higher seed with no further consideration required.
Tiebreakers if a full schedule is played
Head-to-head record is the first tiebreaker (NOTE: point differentials are not used). If more than two teams have identical records, each of these teams will be placed in a pool of the teams with identical records and seedings will be determined:
(a) on the best win-loss record (on a percentage basis) of games played between the teams in the pool;
(b) if a tie then exists between two or more pool teams for rankings, the head-to-head record between those teams will determine standings.
(c) if the teams in the pool of teams with identical records did not play each other, or if the head-to-head tiebreaker cannot be applied to the teams remaining, the team with the highest percentage wins among games played between those teams remaining in this limited pool shall receive the higher seed.
(d) if a tie remains between two teams, the tie-breaker shall be head-to-head competition; and
(e) Lottery draw if a tie still remains between any or all of the pool teams.
Example:
• Teams A, B, C, & D finished 6-8 (all tied for 4th place)
• Records of the tied teams versus each other:
– Team A = 2-1
– Team B = 2-3
– Team C = 2-2
– Team D = 2-2
• Team A is the highest/4th seed (best win-loss record on percentage basis)
• Team B is the 7th seed (worst win-loss record on percentage basis)
• Teams C & D split during the regular season (1-1 versus each other)
• Team C wins the lottery
• Team C is the 5th seed
• Team D is the 6th seed
TCBL will disseminate the playoff brackets on or about 2/19/2026
Playoff games can begin as early as 2/26/2026
Quarterfinal and out-bracket games, if applicable to your bracket, will be scheduled by agreement between opponents subject to the following cutoff dates: Saturday, February 28th (out-bracket) and Wednesday, March 4th (quarterfinal).
The higher seed will host and must offer the visiting team at least two dates.
TCBL has reserved slots for the semi-final and championship games at neutral-site facilities over the weekend of March 6th/7th/8th.
If your program employs coaches who coach multiple TCBL teams, please notify us so we can prevent conflicts during the semis and finals.