Negaunee’s Jakson Sager, right, takes on Gwinn’s Caleb Anderson during their boys basketball game played Dec. 13 at the Modeltowners’ gym. (Journal photo by Ryan Spitza)

EAST LANSING — Some changes may be noticeable in late February and March during Michigan High School Athletic Association basketball and hockey tournaments.

For the first time, the MHSAA has introduced a limited amount of seeding for district tournaments in girls and boys basketball. The idea of seeding teams, in a way similar to football, has been touted by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan for a number of years.

In addition, the MHSAA hockey tournament will be spread over three weeks instead of its traditional two weeks.

There were a number of other rules changes that will affect some sports more subtly.

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Marquette freshman hockey player Jacob Garrow skates to the puck in a game against Escanaba on Dec. 3 at Lakeview Arena in Marquette. (Journal photo by Amy Grigas)

Basketball seeding

Before the draw is made for each girls and boys basketball district, the top two teams will be determined and automatically placed on opposite sides of the bracket, meaning those teams can’t play each other before the championship game.

Those teams will be determined using the Michigan Power Ratings computer formula, which is based on regular-season results against other MHSAA Tournament-eligible teams and opponents’ strength of schedule. Games against out-of-state or non-MHSAA opponents will not count in the formula.

MPR was used last spring for the MHSAA boys lacrosse tournament and in the fall for the boys soccer tourney.

The MHSAA will draw brackets 15 days before the start of district play. After the top two teams are determined, remaining teams will be placed based on a randomly selected order determined earlier in the season.

Ishpeming’s Kayla Koski dribbles while looking for a teammate during a girls basketball game against Gwinn at the Hematites’ gym on Jan. 8. (Journal photo by Corey Kelly)

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Hockey extended

The traditional dates for the start of the regular season and the MHSAA tournament state championship games haven’t changed, and neither has the number of regular-season games allowed.

But the tourney will now start three weeks before the finals, meaning the regular season will be shortened by a week.

Now the maximum six games that can be played in the tourney are stretched over 20 days, instead of the previous 13.

This year’s hockey regionals run from Feb. 24 to March 4, with quarterfinals on March 7, semifinals March 12 and 13, and finals on March 14.

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There are some detailed rules changes affecting a legal finish in swimming events, diving degree of difficulties, hockey stick length, competitive cheer formations, wrestling injury evaluation and wrestling meet tiebreakers.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.