The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is currently considering expanding the number of divisions for high school basketball from four to seven, in an effort to address the significant gap between the largest and smallest schools in Division I. This topic has been on the table since Greg Ute became the executive director in 2020.

With the current four-division model, Division I basketball in Ohio sees a drastic difference in enrollment numbers, with schools like Mason having 1,300 males compared to Bedford's 346. Ute acknowledges that the existing divisions do not do enough to address this disparity.

Under the proposed new format, sports will be shifted from four to seven divisions, resulting in shorter postseasons by at least one round. Division I basketball will be reduced to 64 teams, while Division II will have the next 64 followed by an evenly divided remaining number of teams in the other divisions. Ute estimates that most divisions will comprise around 130 schools.

While Ute insists that expanding the divisions will not diminish the prestige of winning a state championship, there are concerns regarding greater traveling distances for schools in the early stages of the postseason. However, the focus is not solely on winning a state championship but rather providing more schools with an opportunity to compete at a higher level.

The change in divisions will also impact how state championships are conducted. Currently, boys and girls state championships are held separately, with 12 games played over a three-day weekend for boys and a week earlier for girls. With the shift to seven divisions, Ute anticipates that Dayton will host seven championship games over a two-day span.

The OHSAA aims to ensure that the new format will not lead to lopsided results or water down the excitement of the postseason. Ute believes that reducing the number of teams in a division could potentially lead to more competitive games.

The OHSAA has already begun working on the details necessary for implementing the changes, with the goal of introducing the expanded divisions in the upcoming fall sports season. The association will determine the number of divisions for each team sport based on the number of participating schools. The move to seven divisions in football has already seen dominant runs at the small-school level.

In conclusion, the OHSAA's plans to expand high school basketball divisions to seven is aimed at addressing the enrollment gap and providing more opportunities for schools to compete at a higher level. While logistical challenges and concerns exist, the association remains committed to ensuring a competitive postseason and preserving the prestige of winning a state championship.