Poland Live | Ready for tip-off

Poland's Division II state semifinal with Chillicothe starts at 2, so we're minutes away. Stay tuned for live updates throughout the game.

The big story down here this weekend revolves around using video replay for last-second shots. This is a sore subject with Warren Harding fans, who lost to Lakewood St. Edward in Sunday's Div. I regional final after the Eagles made a last-second 3-pointer in the fourth quarter to force overtime. It shouldn't have counted. Then Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame won the girls Division I title on Monday on a last-second shot that shouldn't have counted against Lakota West.

Harding coach Steve Arnold isn't here this weekend. (Most basketball coaches around the state come down for the weekend). He said it was too painful. I don't blame him. OHSAA commissioner Dan Ross called him to apologize on Tuesday, but said the way the rules are set up, there's nothing he could do.

I think they'll move to use video replay for the final four. I don't know if you can use it for regional games because there's some sites that won't have reliable replay equipment. Either way, it's small consolation to Harding and Lakota West.

If you've never been to a state basketball tournament game, it takes some getting used to. The two student sections sit on either end of the baskets, with a whole bunch of non-fans in the good seats. Most of them are coaches and basketball fans that aren't cheering for any particular team. It makes for a mediocre atmosphere, unless you have someone like LeBron James playing.

As I said before, I think Chillicothe will win by 10, but I really hope I'm wrong. (If that's the case, free to e-mail me and tell me I'm an idiot.) Poland winning is good for the paper, of course, but it's also good for me. I'd get to be in Columbus (and get an extremely rare Saturday night off) instead of sitting in the office.