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Anything can happen.....

PO Round 1 Sunday, June 1st, 2025

Elan Demars vs. Club Trouville

Rajdersi vs. Holy City Hoopers

Suuret Muinaiset vs. Les Gueux du Marais

Wagner College vs. Madrid Chotis

The first round of the playoffs should look like this, but it will only be official when Wagner confirms it.....

Thanks for your message Hadár!
Indeed it should look like that, I did confirm that myself and created Official Regular Season Rankings-table to Official HGL Playoff post, here: (326590.7).

We are now ready to start our Playoff match organizing process for teams ranked from 5th to 12th on Regular Season.
Please refer to earlier post (326589.260) which includes some memory refreshers, and Official HGL Playoff post (link above) if you are even a bit hesitant about the process, or preferably even if you aren't.

Sometimes it's funny how person can forget something that feels even quite some obvious, but it turns into understandable thing when we consider it from the standpoint that maybe "1000000 things" have visited his mind after he read those instructions last time... so it's hardly a time badly spent, if one reads instructions again. :) And having said that, anyone please feel free to add something to my posts, if you feel like I forgot to add some important reminder here or there.

So please send correct match challenges (use same official match time that you successfully used when organized Regular Season matches, and use correct home/away court balance!) to teams as soon as possible, so they have enough time to accept that challenge and then you both have enough time to set up customized lineups for the match (or otherwise your default matchup will be set up for the Pickup match if you don't set it up manually, if I'm not completely mistaken).

So to all HGL managers:
please do as I suggested in one of my previous messages (here: (326589.260), especially part 1.) so that when you have created that Playoff section to your own box score post, you can then update match links there as soon as possible (when match offers have been accepted), and from every manager's own box score posts I will copy match links to the Official HGL Playoff post, just like we did during Regular Season match organizing process.
Then match box score link (and eventually score in written text form when match has ended) will be added to Official HGL Playoff post, here: (326590.7)

I also would strongly encourage all of you to set some kind of reminders to phones/computers/calendars during playoffs, so that we would be able to make this as smooth and fair process as possible, as success of this league relies on managers being committed enough, especially during playoffs.

Of course, if any problems arise, I don't mean that you shouldn't approach me on the forums (of course you should, if problems such as "he didn't challenge me in time", or "he didn't accept my challenge", etc. arise) but I'm just saying that sometimes in such situations there might not be real winners even if the guilty part is found, and in some other cases it could prove to be difficult to prove who the "guilty" part was anyway, so let's hopefully skip that part altogether by being considerate towards each other by acting out in time (when sending match challenges and accepting them).
On other words, I'm just encouraging everyone to try to do their part as carefully as possible and on time so we can get this most critical time of the Season to become as smooth sail as possible.

It's great that there's something to play for even in the last round.

Absolutely, I'm glad to see there are many even matchups.
I think it also does help in making most Regular Season games meaningful (and to have more teams involved longer into the season) to have 12 teams included in Playoffs (compared to "regular setting" where only 8 teams would qualify for Playoffs).

It's also going to be interesting to see how teams win-loss records will evolve during couple of next seasons, but let´s not get ahead of things though, as we're going to have an interesting playoffs ahead - while there is no doubt in my mind (either) that you and GM-Enzo are huge favorites to win the HGL, I want to remind everyone that every win in Playoffs will be recorded to all-time HGL Playoff wins-stats category, so give it your all on every game even if it feels tough... speaking of tough, if all home teams win on Playoffs Round 1 (including myself), then I'll face Hadár with perfect 15-0 record on Round 2!

Santa Eufemia Ducks or Svätý Jur Snakers are far ahead. it would be surprising if the title escapes one of these two teams, espacially with the home advantage

Indeed, they have very strong teams.
While in my role as a HGL Commissioner I'm a neutral manager in that sense, I'm simultaneously only a human with my own opinions and preferences and I usually hope that we'd see some surprise results as well during Playoffs, as at least to me that's the salt of any sports as they keep it more interesting.
Having said that, I also hope at least not too many games won't be decided because of bad luck (injuries) - fouling outs are another story, which could help an underdog team to create a proper Cinderella story (if I may lend a term used in NCAA basketball).

I haven't really made any "studies" or read long conversations about home advantage in BB, but some bookmakers consider it to be around 3-3,5 points... So I wonder if that's even close approximation what's home advantage "worth" in BB, does anyone have more experience/clear views on this?

Santa Eufemia Ducks or Svätý Jur Snakers are far ahead. it would be surprising if the title escapes one of these two teams, espacially with the home advantage

Indeed, they have very strong teams.
While in my role as a HGL Commissioner I'm a neutral manager in that sense, I'm simultaneously only a human with my own opinions and preferences and I usually hope that we'd see some surprise results as well during Playoffs, as at least to me that's the salt of any sports as they keep it more interesting.
Having said that, I also hope at least not too many games won't be decided because of bad luck (injuries) - fouling outs are another story, which could help an underdog team to create a proper Cinderella story (if I may lend a term used in NCAA basketball).

I haven't really made any "studies" or read long conversations about home advantage in BB, but some bookmakers consider it to be around 3-3,5 points... So I wonder if that's even close approximation what's home advantage "worth" in BB, does anyone have more experience/clear views on this?

More like 8-10 points.

More like 8-10 points.

Do you mean in BB and/or in real life?

What that 3-3,5points meant, is that if teams are given a strength number/value that tries to reflect how many points they likely score in a match, then depending on playing home or away, it will be added to their strength rating.

2 examples, the way at least I have understood situation.

Team A is a better team, rating 83, while team B has a rating of 78. In this case on neutral court team A would be 5 point favorite.

If team A plays home and we assume home court giving 3 point advantage, then team A would be 83+3=86-78= 8 point favorite in that match.

If match is played on team B's home court on the other hand, then team B's strength rating would receive +3 as follows:
78+3=81-83= -2: team B would be only 2 point underdog playing in the home court (as opposed to being 5 point underdog on neutral arena and 8 point underdog on away court).

This is at least the way I've always "calculated" that suggested home court advantage, whether it's a right interpretation of it or not.

More like 8-10 points.

Do you mean in BB and/or in real life?

What that 3-3,5points meant, is that if teams are given a strength number/value that tries to reflect how many points they likely score in a match, then depending on playing home or away, it will be added to their strength rating.

2 examples, the way at least I have understood situation.

Team A is a better team, rating 83, while team B has a rating of 78. In this case on neutral court team A would be 5 point favorite.

If team A plays home and we assume home court giving 3 point advantage, then team A would be 83+3=86-78= 8 point favorite in that match.

If match is played on team B's home court on the other hand, then team B's strength rating would receive +3 as follows:
78+3=81-83= -2: team B would be only 2 point underdog playing in the home court (as opposed to being 5 point underdog on neutral arena and 8 point underdog on away court).

This is at least the way I've always "calculated" that suggested home court advantage, whether it's a right interpretation of it or not.

I'm not sure about all that, Wagner...

...but over the seasons I have found that in BB, where two teams are evenly matched, then HCA is approximately 8-10 points. This is without Crowd Involvement PR staff. It is an approximate figure quote by many over time. I have always found it to be relatively accurate but not absolute.

I have noticed this even more so in some 3-game final series over the years where the two teams were so close that the 3-game series (taking into account the HCA and Enth expenditure) have had series where the difference between the 3 games swings were around 8-10 points for each game.

Again, this is only an approximate. Maybe it's less these days than what it was many years ago...I don't know.

If I were asked to commit to an absolute value, I would say 8 points.



Last edited by MrJ at 5/27/2025 7:40:17 AM

May I have your attention, all HGL managers:
As mentioned, now is the time to start organizing First Round Playoff matches, so please proceed with this process as soon as you see this message. Playoff Round 1 matchups can be found from the Official HGL Playoff post, here: (326590.7).

It is necessary to use June 1st, 2025 as a match day and current Official HGL match time is 3.30PM/15.30 Eastern European Time (EET) Daylight Savings Time (DST), so needless to say, if you are not on EET time zone (none other than Suuret Muinaiset is) then please adjust your match challenge time accordingly, just as you did before Regular Season.

Time that you use is again the same designated time given to your team. If you have any doubts about it, you may make a conversion for example at timeanddate.com to see how 15.30EET DST relates to your time zone (or ask a question here, but again, this process is familiar to all of us).

This match organizing is familiar process to all of us from the beginning of season, so there shouldn't be anything difficulties in finalizing it - we just need to proceed with it as soon as possible.

As instructed in my previous memory refresher-posts on this thread, there are couple of things every manager needs to do, especially the ones still playing (but for the easy access, use and editing of Season 1 all-time HGL stats it is very much advisable also for those teams not participating in playoffs).

In practice this means editing your own season box score post, and out of 16 of us only Hadár and myself have currently done this. It is very easy to do this by copy-pasting it from my box score post to your own box score post, and add match links there.
My box score post for copy-pasting playoff schedule to your own box score post can be found from here: (326590.44).
Hadár made it like this: (326590.46).

Easiest way to reach your own Season 1 box score post would be to use links on this post: (326589.3).


When you add match links of accepted Pickup matches to your season box score posting (important: this is absolutely necessary to do well before match is played, whether or not match has been organized!), I will then add it to official HGL Playoff post.

It is very important to add Playoff match links to your own posts well in time (Playoffs will be played on Sundays every week), as we stick with the same policy of designated match time for each team also during Playoffs (so all teams play their matches simultaneously).
If you haven't provided a match link to your season box score post (or being very pressed in time/ in "emergency situations" to Official HGL Scores Thread instead), before match takes place, match time can't be confirmed afterwards.

Please also allow some time for me to make this confirmation of each Playoff Round's matches (in other words being able to click your match link and verify that time and date is correct), as I won't be online each and every day.

EDIT: Edited numbers and names.

Thank you Paul George and Chucarro for providing a match link for First Round of Playoffs.

Currently 3 out of 4 match links for Playoffs Round 1 are available. I will keep updating a playoff post (here: (326590.7)) so that everyone can easily see if all matches are already organized, but of course the quickest way is to check box score post of manager in question as of course Playoff post only updates when I update it so it's never "real time".

I assume that cthulhu has sent match challenges for Playoff Round 1 games for this Sunday, but challenges still haven't been accepted as match links are nowhere to be found?

As mentioned before:

A) match links need to be added to your own team box score post.
In the case you are in a hurry or don't really remember how to get to that post quickly, you may also send it to Official HGL Scores Thread or Official HGL Thread (or even to my BBMail), and then add it to your own Season 1 box score post at later moment when you're not so pressed in time, but I would prefer everyone to add links directly to a correct post.

B) both managers need to add match links to their own season box score posts eventually, but it's most critical that at least another one of them does this well before match is scheduled to start (so that I can verify the match time).

Last edited by Wagner at 5/30/2025 2:58:55 AM

As for First Round of Playoffs, box score links to all but one match (SUM vs. LGM) have already been provided.

SUM has added First Round opponent to his own box score (LGM hasn't edited his post yet), so I assume cthulhu (SUM) has also sent a match proposition to LGM on June 1st.

I contacted both managers by BBMail yesterday, but they haven't still received my BBMail as both have logged in not later than on Wednesday 28th.

So even though it's likely very clear to both (SUM and LGM), please add a match link to your box score post (or as mentioned, if you are in a real hurry, send it to Official HGL Threads or even to my BBMail to begin with and add it later to your box score post) as soon as it's available, thank you. :)

Elan Demars gave the link to the league game. So only the Raidersi and your team have the correct links.