Alta, Syracuse to compete for virtual national titles

Alta’s boys basketball team and Syracuse’s girls basketball team will compete for mythical high school national championships beginning today — in the virtual world that is.
Using the same algorithm that the BCS uses in college football, HighSchoolSports.net and USA Today have teamed up to run the Massey Virtual National Championship tournament.
Starting today and concluding on April 6, 64 teams from 50 states will compete in the virtual playoff system for both the boys and girls.
The computer simulations will be run by Ken Massey, author of the Massey Ratings system. Alta qualified for the tournament as the highest rated state championship from the state of Utah.
Alta (21-4) is a No. 9 seed in the West region and will face No. 8 seed Iolani, Hawaii (20-8) in the first round. The winner advances to face in all likelihood Findlay Prep, Nev. (18-2).
To view the brackets and follow along, check out the Massey Website.
For the girls, Syracuse (24-0) is a No. 9 seed in the East region and will face St. John Vianne, N.J. (28-4).
The brackets were seeded by USA Today sports editors, using the 50 state champions and 14 at-large teams.
“I’m sure the results will lead to plenty of debate across the country in locker rooms and family rooms, just as the BCS rankings do in college,” said Jason Rine, content manager at HighSchoolSports.net. “I can’t wait to hear the response for a simulated basketball tournament since our virtual football tournament was a huge success in January.”