Anyone has the right to change’s one mind.

It’s time for me to change mine.

For years, I have been against the idea of public and private high schools having their own separate postseason basketball tournaments in Pennsylvania.

My mentality has always been that a high school athletic program — regardless of public or private — should have the goal of competing with the best and should structure its program in pursuit of that goal.

But one team came along this year and changed much of that.

Kennedy Catholic.

That small private school in Hermitage, not so far from here, could have played in a much lower classification than 6A. It chose to compete against the biggest schools and won the state championship regardless.

Kennedy Catholic has players on its roster from different countries. Its regular season schedule included games against teams from Louisville, St. Louis, Central Florida and The Bronx.

Its roster includes players at 6-foot-9, 6-8, 6-7, 6-6 and 6-5.

And that team could have played in a division of smaller schools.

Two years ago, Butler opened its season against Kennedy Catholic in Beaver Falls. Kennedy was a small school with an excellent team and I figured the veteran Golden Tornado — filled with seniors and a talented freshman in Ethan Morton — would be given a good test to start the season.

Butler lost by 22.

The Tornado went on to play in the WPIAL Class 6A championship game that season. And Kennedy Catholic has only gotten better since then.

So have private school basketball teams in general.

In 2018, seven of the 12 PIAA basketball championship teams — boys and girls — were private schools. This year, nine of the 12 boys teams to reach the PIAA title games were private schools.

When you consider the number of private high schools compared to public schools in Pennsylvania, that ratio is way, way off.

Recruiting is not the issue here. Parents have the right to send their kids to a private school if they choose.

But because private schools are not restricted by boundaries, they can accept student-athletes from anywhere. Public schools cannot.

The difference is showing up on the court. Basketball is the sport of concern here because it doesn’t take many stellar players to put together a dominant team.

Public vs. private on the hardwood during the regular season? Have at it. It’s a good experience for all.

Come the postseason, it’s time to go separate. Have a private school state tourney and a public school tourney.

Every team should have a fair shot at winning a championship. Simple as that.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle