CCS Open Division Hoops

 The Central Coast Section will have an Open Division for the basketball playoffs this winter with a different twist.
 And it's a good one.
 The eight teams that will be selected into the Open Division after the season will be decided by representatives from the 10 leagues in the CCS.
 In addition, all eight teams that move into the Open Division for the postseason are a lock to reach the Northern California playoffs in their respective divisions.
 "That was the carrot,'' CCS assistant commissioner Steve Filios said. "What we wanted to do was get the eight best teams in one bracket to play for a section title.''
 No more than four teams can come from one league -- call it the West Catholic Athletic League rule.
 And no more than three teams from the Open Division playoffs can be placed in one division for the Northern California playoffs.
 The reason for that was to ensure that the CCS divisional champion will still get a bid to the Northern California playoffs. However, the runner-up no longer is a lock to move on.
 In the past, the CCS has chosen to allow only the champion and runner-up in each division to move on from the CCS playoffs instead of four, which other sections have done.
 There are still five divisions based on enrollment for the basketball playoffs, not including the Open Division.
 One team from the Monterey Bay League's Gabilan Division will likely get one of the top eight seeds. But it won't be the kiss of death like in football.