These boys basketball tiebreakers for playoff seeding are being determined tonight

First, these games can affect your RPI.

Second, these games break important ties when it comes to conference standings. That matters sometimes because only one school can be the 1-seed from a league for each respective classification. Sometimes its matters because there's a "no leapfrogging" rule — ex: the fourth-place team from a league can't get into the playoffs until the third-place one does (but can be seeded higher once in due to RPI).

Third, if an underdog wins the conference tournament, most leagues have it written down that they get an automatic playoff spot, taking it from the second-place team. Other leagues, like split conferences, can't do that. We'll see if any underdogs are still alive going into Friday's finals.

Now, here is every meaningful tie in the state I could find — ones that impact the last teams to get into the playoffs or impact 1-seeds — for boys basketball.

1A East

It appears the Atlantic 6 is not playing a conference tournament, but will finish the regular season this week instead. Ocracoke is 7-1 in league play while Hobgood Charter is 7-2. Ocracoke has two games lined up. If they win out, they take first. If they drop a game to Hobgood, then they'd have to play a tiebreaker game for the 1-seed (loser still gets in automatically no matter the RPI).

UPDATE: Ocracoke won the conference with a 9-1 record.

No tiebreaker needed: In the Central Tar Heel, Southern Wake Academy and Chatham Charter are co-conference champions at 10-2. However, Southern Wake won both games with Chatham Charter, so they've got the 1-seed locked up. The Lions had to forfeit two other conference games, which is the only reason they're 10-2 in league play and not 12-0.

UPDATE: N/A

Perhaps the oddest tiebreaker situation goes to the Super Six 1A/2A for its 1A half. East Wake Academy and Falls Lake are tied at 5-5 in the league and split against each other. As the only two 1A teams in the league, they're competing for a 1-seed despite EWA being 13-12 and Falls Lake being 11-18. The winner will finish third in the six-team league, which means they'll get a 1-seed instead of just a wild-card spot. If one team makes it to the conference tournament title, that team gets the higher seed. If neither does, they'll need a tiebreaker game. If both do, the winner gets the 1-seed.

UPDATE: East Wake Academy won their tiebreaker game on Thursday. The Eagles get the 1-seed and will be seeded with other 1s.

1A West

In the Big Smoky Mountain, Cherokee and Swain County tied for the top spot at 7-3 and split the season series. If they meet in the conference tournament final, the winner gets the 1-seed. If one makes it but the other does not, the team in the tournament final wins the 1-seed. If neither makes it to the tournament final, they'd need to play a tiebreaker game.

UPDATE: Cherokee made it but Swain County did not. Cherokee gets the 1-seed.

Mitchell and Mountain Heritage are tied atop the Western Highlands 1A/2A, so you know the deal. They're co-champs, but if they meet in the conference tournament final, the winner gets the 1-seed. If one makes it but the other does not, the team in the tournament final wins the 1-seed. If neither makes it to the tournament final, they'd need to play a tiebreaker game.

UPDATE: Mitchell made it to the tournament final but Mountain Heritage did not. Mitchell gets the 1-seed.

2A East

It's not often you see a tie for third on here as important enough to break by non-RPI means, but Whiteville (9-13) and South Columbus (11-13) tied at 6-6 in the Waccamaw 1A/2A might be big. Right now, Whiteville would not make the playoffs, barely, but South Columbus would, barely. The league has a few options here if the two teams fail to meet in the conference tournament or fail to get to the tournament final. First, they could go by RPI, which ensures neither team will "box out" the other. However, there was a case last year when a league played a tiebreaker game, the team with the lower RPI won, and then both teams got in.

UPDATE: Both teams were eliminated in the semifinals. South Columbus appears in but Whiteville does not. No word on if they'll play a tiebreaker game or not.

Kinston and Southwest Onslow are co-champs of the East Central after both going 11-1 in league play. If they meet in the conference tournament final, the winner gets the 1-seed. If one makes it but the other does not, the team in the tournament final wins the 1-seed. If neither makes it to the tournament final, they'd need to play a tiebreaker game.

UPDATE: Southwest Onslow made it to the tournament final, but Kinston did not. The 1-seed goes to the Stallions.

In the Eastern Plains, the tie for fifth between SouthWest Edgecombe (12-12) and Ayden-Grifton (12-11) actually matters despite both being 3-9 in league play. Right now, Ayden-Grifton is one of the first teams projected out but SouthWest Edgecombe is projected in. The league has a few options here if the two teams fail to meet in the conference tournament or fail to get to the tournament final. First, they could go by RPI, which ensures neither team will "box out" the other. However, there was a case last year when a league played a tiebreaker game, the team with the lower RPI won, and then both teams got in.

UPDATE: Both teams were eliminated in the semifinals and played a tiebreaker game on Friday. Ayden-Grifton won, which for now puts BOTH teams into the playoffs.

In the Neuse 6 you've got an old-fashioned tie for first between co-champs North Johnston and Goldsboro. If they meet in the conference tournament final, the winner gets the 1-seed. If one makes it but the other does not, the team in the tournament final wins the 1-seed. If neither makes it to the tournament final, they'd need to play a tiebreaker game.

UPDATE: Goldsboro made it to the tournament final, but North Johnston did not. The 1-seed goes to the Cougars.

Wash, rinse, repeat in the Southeastern, where the co-champs are West Bladen and Fairmont. If they meet in the conference tournament final, the winner gets the 1-seed. If one makes it but the other does not, the team in the tournament final wins the 1-seed. If neither makes it to the tournament final, they'd need to play a tiebreaker game.

UPDATE: West Bladen made it to the tournament final, but Fairmont did not. The 1-seed goes to the Knights.

Northeastern and Hertford County both went 12-2 (it's actually a three-way tie with First Flight, but the Nighthawks are 3A) in the Northeastern Coastal 2A/3A. If they meet in the conference tournament final, the winner gets the 1-seed. If one makes it but the other does not, the team in the tournament final wins the 1-seed. If neither makes it to the tournament final, they'd need to play a tiebreaker game.

UPDATE: Hertford County defeated Northeastern in the conference tournament championship on Friday for the 1-seed.

2A West

There's a three-way tie in the Catawba Shores 1A/2A, but only two of the teams are 2A — Pine Lake Prep and Lincoln Charter. The two teams split against each other in the regular season and could be on a collision course for the conference tournament semifinals. The winner of that game gets the 1-seed from the league's 2A half, while the loser will still make the postseason as a wild-card.

UPDATE: Pine Lake Prep defeated Lincoln Charter in the semifinals, so the Pride will take the 1-seed.

A rare non-tiebreaker: in the Rocky River 2A/3A, there's a tie that's not really a tie for fourth. Anson County swept West Stanly, so the Bearcats (currently one of the first teams out of the playoffs) do not need a tiebreaker with the Colts.

UPDATE: N/A

3A East

Franklinton and Rocky Mount are playing in the first round of the Big East tournament. Franklinton is projected as the first team out entering the week. A loss gives Rocky Mount the head-to-head and boxes the Red Rams out of the playoffs, but a win doesn't guarantee a spot either.

UPDATE: Rocky Mount won in the first round over Franklinton, but both teams appear as though they'll miss the playoffs entirely.

3A West

None!

4A East

You don't see this often, but as of now the DC-VI conference could have all six teams in the playoffs and its tie for last place is important between East Chapel Hill and Northern Durham. The league has a few options here if the two teams fail to meet in the conference tournament or fail to get to the tournament final. First, they could go by RPI, which ensures neither team will "box out" the other. However, there was a case last year when a league played a tiebreaker game, the team with the lower RPI won, and then both teams got in.

UPDATE: Neither team made it to the tournament final, and there's no word of a tiebreaker game. Both are currently projected as the last two teams in, but that could change if there's a Cinderella in another 4A East conference that wins its tournament and steals an automatic bid from a conference runner-up.

4A West

Co-champs T.C. Roberson and McDowell County are tied for first in the Mountain Athletic 3A/4A and split head-to-head. If they meet in the conference tournament final, the winner gets the 1-seed. If one makes it but the other does not, the team in the tournament final wins the 1-seed. If neither makes it to the tournament final, they'd need to play a tiebreaker game.

UPDATE: McDowell County advanced to the conference tournament final but T.C. Roberson did not. The 1-seed goes to the Patriots.

Co-champs Watauga and South Caldwell are tied for first in the Northwestern 3A/4A and split head-to-head. If they meet in the conference tournament final, the winner gets the 1-seed. If one makes it but the other does not, the team in the tournament final wins the 1-seed. If neither makes it to the tournament final, they'd need to play a tiebreaker game.

UPDATE: Watauga advanced to the conference tournament final but South Caldwell did not. The 1-seed goes to the Pioneers.