The WPIAL has allowed more than half of its member schools to enter the district basketball playoffs this season.

Of those entrants, 21 teams sport overall losing records.

On the surface, that indicates too many teams are qualifying for the playoffs, thus creating a watered down field and too many opening-round mismatches.

But, sometimes you have to look beneath the surface.

Is allowing the first four places in each section to enter the WPIAL tournament too many?

Nope.

In fact, the WPIAL is on the money with allowing that many spots.

Looking at Class AAAA boys, no team reached the postseason with a losing record. Four teams, in fact — Connellsville, Central Catholic, McKeesport and Canon McMillan — failed to qualify despite finishing .500 or better.

Seneca Valley is the fourth-place qualifier out of Section 3. If only three teams from each section advanced, that race would have been over before the regular season was half-over.

All four teams from Section 3-AAAA reached the WPIAL semifinals in the past two years. Clearly, the fourth-place qualifier there belongs in the playoffs.

In girls Class AAAA, only one team — Seneca Valley at 10-12 — reached the playoffs with a sub-.500 record. But the Raiders defeated Butler twice to get there.

The Golden Tornado (11-9) became the only Quad-A girls team with a winning record to miss out on a playoff berth. Butler was a sizzling 7-1 in non-section games, but only 4-8 in section competition.

Four boys Class AAA teams made the playoffs with losing records, but no team finishing .500 or better was left out. Two girls Class AAA teams — including Freeport at 10-11 — reached the postseason with losing records. But, again, no team finishing .500 or better missed.

No boys Class AA team at .500 or better fell short of the playoffs. Only one boys Class A team, — Cornell at 11-10 — missed out.

These numbers wound up just about as they should.

Surely, no system is perfect. Monessen is in the Class A girls playoffs despite a 4-16 overall record, averaging a measly 27.9 points per game. Burrell is in the Class AA boys postseason with a 6-15 record.

The WPIAL team with the best overall won-loss record not in the playoffs is Chartiers-Houston at 12-9.

In any sport that qualifies playoff teams through a divisional format, discrepancies are going to occur. This past NFL season, Green Bay made the NFC playoffs with an 8-7-1 record. Arizona missed the NFC tournament with a 10-6 mark.

Such is life. It’s not always fair.

At least in terms of basketball, no more — and no fewer — teams should qualify for the WPIAL playoffs.

Criticize it if you will, but the WPIAL got it right.

John Enrietto is the sports editor of the Butler Eagle.