Never has playing a strong schedule been more rewarded than Friday, when the seedings were determined for the DIAA Boys Basketball Tournament.
Salesianum earned the No. 1 seed, despite a 12-8 record that tied for 20th statewide in pure win percentage.
The Sals went 1-6 against an elite group of out-of-state opponents from Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, piling up bonus points for testing themselves against winning teams.
They went 11-2 in-state, again mostly against opponents with winning records who merited bonus points.
Salesianum is one of eight teams earning first-round byes in the 24-team field. The others are No. 2 Caravel, No. 3 Tower Hill, No. 4 Howard, No. 5 Sanford, No. 6 William Penn, No. 7 Appoquinimink and No. 8 Middletown.
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The tournament will get under way Tuesday with eight first-round games, on the home courts of the higher-seeded teams. The winners will advance to the second round on Thursday, on the home courts of the eight highest seeds. All first- and second-round games will start at 7 p.m.
The quarterfinals will be played Saturday, March 5 at sites and times to be determined. The semifinals will tip off at 6:30 and 8:10 p.m. on Thursday, March 10 at the Carpenter Center.
The championship game will tip off at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 12 at the Carpenter Center.
Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ
2022 DIAA Boys Basketball Tournament
First round
Tuesday, all games at 7 p.m.
No. 17 Laurel (16-4) at No. 16 A.I. du Pont (14-5)
No. 24 Delcastle (9-11) at No. 9 Dover (16-3)
No. 20 St. Georges (11-9) at No. 13 Smyrna (12-7)
No. 21 Caesar Rodney (12-8) at No. 12 Archmere (12-6)
No. 18 St. Andrew’s (13-7) at No. 15 Delmarva Christian (14-5)
No. 23 Tatnall (10-9) at No. 10 Seaford (16-4)
No. 19 Delmar (10-7) at No. 14 Woodbridge (13-6)
No. 22 St. Mark’s (12-8) at No. 11 St. Elizabeth (15-5)
Second round
Thursday, all games at 7 p.m.
Laurel-A.I. du Pont winner at No. 1 Salesianum (12-8)
Delcastle-Dover winner at No. 8 Middletown (14-6)
St. Georges-Smyrna winner at No. 4 Howard (16-3)
Caesar Rodney-Archmere winner at No. 5 Sanford (15-4)
St. Andrew’s-Delmarva Christian winner at No. 2 Caravel (16-4)
Tatnall-Seaford winner at No. 7 Appoquinimink (14-5)
Delmar-Woodbridge winner at No. 3 Tower Hill (16-3)
St. Mark’s-St. Elizabeth winner at No. 6 William Penn (14-5)
Quarterfinals
Saturday, March 5
Sites and times to be determined
Semifinals
Thursday, March 10
At Carpenter Center, 6:30 and 8:10
Championship
Saturday, March 12
At Carpenter Center, 6
