Was/Is It Easier For UMaine Basketball Teams to Get to the Big Dance then for a Maine High School Team to Win a State Championship??

Many years ago when UMaine was practicing and playing their home games at the Bangor Auditorium (And did not improve attendance either)and I was the Athletic Director and basketball coach at John Bapst we shared the Auditorium for daily practices and home games with the Maine Mens and Womens Teams. I had an interesting conversation with one of the Maine Coaches at that Time.

I asked the coach if it would be easier for Maine to get to the big Dance by winning their Conference Tournament then it would be for any Maine high school team to win a state championship?

The reasons I gave was as follows:

1. The Maine Teams were automatically in their conference tournaments and a high school team had a 50-50 chance of making the tournament because they had to qualify to be in the top 8 teams..

2. Maine only had to win 3 games as there was only 8 teams in the Conference they were in at the time. High School teams had to win 4 games

3. Maine had 4 coaches and most high school coaches were lucky to have 1 or 2 and Maine’s are full time coaching positions, where high school coaches either teach or have another full-time job.

4. Maine play each team twice in their conference regular season, Maine High schools don’t play each team in their regional tournament. It is easier to prepare and match up for an opponent you have played then one you have not played.

5. Maine could recruit the players that they needed for each position and high school coaches had to make do with what they had on hand.

Maine also was in a tougher conference then, so it might be easier now that they play in the next to last weakest conference in the country.

So tell, me who really had/has a tougher job????????