There’s a team in the PIAA basketball playoffs with a 1-22 record.

Another with a 3-20 mark. Several teams at 7-17 or 6-18.

There’s 192 boys teams and 192 girls teams in the state playoffs across six classes.

That’s a lot of teams.

Too many teams.

If you finish 11th in your district, like the Downingtown East girls did in District 1 Class 6A and still make the state playoffs ... there just might be too many teams in the field.

It will never happen because, well, money, but the state playoffs need to be drastically paired down.

Like only district winners.

Sure, that may be an extreme to the other side — a lot of really good teams will be out of the state playoffs — but then there could finally be an even split between state qualifiers on the east side of the state and the west.

As it is now, there’s a situation like the Hollidaysburg girls basketball team is in Saturday, facing a more than five-hour round-trip to play Slippery Rock at Farrell.

The Elizabethtown boys basketball team has a nearly 500 mile journey ahead of it to and from Valley High School to play Mars Friday night.

There will be some miles put on the ol’ bus odometers in many school districts throughout the state playoffs.

Speaking of the state playoffs.

Mars standout senior center Michael Carmody won’t be on the court for the Planets’ PIAA Class 5A opener because of a one-game suspension handed down by the WPIAL for his actions after a 52-51 loss to Laurel Highlands in the district championship game.

The ban was reduced from two games.

The punishment probably fits the crime. Two games would have been excessive.

One is about right.

Carmody was emotional after the loss, approached an official and kicked a basketball.

That kind of behavior can’t slide and needs to be addressed, even though none of the officials did so on that night.

Carmody often plays with an edge and with emotion. Sometimes it rubs people the wrong way.

This was simply a momentary lapse in judgement and one Carmody will surely learn from.

Carmody has had to endure his fair share of poor sportsmanship directed at him.

There’s an online video of a Chartiers Valley player flopping violently to the floor as Carmody walked past him.

No contact. Just a flop.

During the same game, Chartiers Valley fans could be heard chanting “fat boy” at Carmody.

Two unfortunate things to come from the Carmody suspension: One, it takes away from the achievement of Laurel Highlands winning the championship as all anyone wants to tweet about is Carmody. Two, it would be a shame if Carmody’s last action on a basketball court is a loss of composure. Mars has a tough test against Elizabethtown without their big man and difference-maker.

Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle