International Basketball Championships IV: Everything Thread

[Dancougar]

Announcing signups for the fourth International Basketball Championships!

IBC I: http://forums.joltonline.com/showthread.php?t=558384
IBC II: http://forums.joltonline.com/showthread.php?t=564056
IBC III: http://forums.joltonline.com/showthread.php?t=577949

The world rankings are currently calculated using a simple weighted average that takes into account a team's performance in qualifying, the final tournament, and the Best of the Rest tournament for non-qualifiers. Heavier weight is applied to the final tournament than the other rounds, as well as to more recent IBCs.

World Rankings (Max points: 9.625)
 1 Newmanistan		5.63
 2 Sarzonia		5.21
 3 Secristan		4.89
 4 Myedvedeya		4.46
 5 Lovisa		3.45
 6 Draistania		3.43
 7 Dancougar		3.31
 8 Arroza		3.04
 9 Cafundeu		2.97
10 Taeshan		2.59
11 Colbourne		2.57
12 Lurikastan		2.57
13 Tocrowkia		2.43
14 Greal		2.43
15 Magnus Valerius	2.06
16 Oiseaui		1.26
17 Jeruselem		1.13
18 Midlauthia		0.89
19 Kenavt		0.88
20 Kose/Turkomans	0.76
21 Frontenax		0.73
22 Corivia		0.56
23 Xaristan		0.52
24 Miroxia		0.50
25 Rennidan		0.50
26 Swilatia		0.50
27 Kura-Pelland		0.23
28 Gerainia		0.16

Future computations, at least using my formula, will take into account the previous three IBCs. Conveniently, there are three right now! And wouldn't you know it, all three champions are in the top four... but somehow, none are at the top. That goes to the consistent Newmanistan, who have done moderately well in all three tournaments.

Signups were closed on Friday, July 24. This thread will be used for signups and eventually for all scores and RP, too. The draw and schedule can be found here.

Signup List (24)
Dancougar
Delaclava
Sarzonia
Bluth Corporation
Newmanistan
Qazox
Tocrowkia
Sibirsky
Taeshan
Howling Scanias
Swartaz
Iglesian Archipelago
Valladares
Quintessence of Dust
The Macabees
Reilly Richardson
Cassadaigua
Secristan
Lanceo
Lovisa
Tyrrin
Richtnon
Harlesburg
Valanora

Host Bids (1)
Dancougar

[Dancougar]

Dancougar signs up and bids to host, because I started this nonsense.

Scorination will be done with Basketsim (available for download in my signature), which differs from most scorinators in that it actually simulates possessions. This means results can vary wildly, but in the past it has been pretty reasonable. The world rankings I've calculated will serve as the basis for a team's strength, to be supplemented by RP bonus.

The format of the tournament will be:
* Double round-robin group stage for qualifiers. I'll do any number, even if it means uneven groups. I'm crazy like that. But I'd like to keep groups to around five or six teams to avoid an unnecessarily long stage.
* The final tournament will consist of a single round-robin group stage followed by knockout stage. The number of qualifiers will be a power of two smaller than the number of entrants. The playoff bracket will feature best-of-3 series.
* "Cup of Harmony" tournament non-qualifiers, consisting of round-robin group play.

And now, the reason why you bother posting after every game:
* Each daily RP earns up to 3 points for quality, with "daily RP" taken to mean "all posts between your last game and the next one."
* RP degrades by 44.2% every matchday. Why such a weird number? This sets an upper bound for accumulated RP at 5.375, which means that team strength will be on a scale from 0 to 15, the sum of world rank and RP.
* Days off do not count against you. For example, your cumulative RP bonus does not degrade on your bye day.
* Playing at home gives a 10% strength boost.
* First timers start at 0 world ranking points. Before you freak out, the simulator has a LOT of variability. You know, like how one night Maryland can crush somebody and the next night lose by 40. If you RP, you'll have a shot. For reals.
* As host, Dancougar gets a constant 10% RP score for running the thing, but can't actually accumulate RP through posts. Which is good, because there exists Basquash, an anime where basketball is played by giant robots... you can probably guess what that would lead to.

[Delaclava]

Delaclava signs up.

[Sarzonia]

The defending champions sign on!

[Bluth Corporation]

We're in like Errol Flynn (I mention the first name because 99% of people who use that phrase don't know where it comes from).

[Newmanistan]

In for more heartbreak.

[Qazox]

Qazox will make a debut appearance.

[Tocrowkia]

Let's do it again. And I'll post a roster this time, and maybe, just maybe RP!

[Sibirsky]

Team Sibirsky signs up!

[Taeshan]

Ditto^

[Howling Scanias]

Howling Scanias sign up for debut

[Swartaz]

Swartaz are in!

[Iglesian Archipelago]

Iglesian Archipelago is in!

[Valladares]

Valladares signs for the first time!

[Quintessence of Dust]

Premature ejaculation neatly wiped off.

But still signed up.

[The Macabees]

The Macabees will send its national team to its first ever international competition.

[Reilly Richardson]

Us in

[Cassadaigua]

Lucky #17!

Might not be able to do much RP but I'll at least do some.

[Secristan]

Millionaires in!

[Lanceo]

were in

[Lovisa]

number 5 sign in

[Tyrrin]

Tyrrin signs up.

[Richtnon]

Richtnon happily signs up. It is time for our nation to succeed.

[Harlesburg]

Harlesburg has a great Basketball pedigree and will sign up for this International tournament.

Previous World Basketball Championships entered have been.
WBC I, WBC II, WBC IV and WBC VI

There was no WBC III it just went II then IV, although admittadly there always rumours that the original WBC I thread was either prior to Jolt or under a different name to Basketball, making WBC 1 into WBC II, WBC II would be WBC III and from then on WBC IV was indeed WBC IV and WBC V also stayed as it was designated.

Harlesburg was champion of WBC I/ii, 4th in WBC II/iii and champion again of WBC IV, to the best of my knowledge WBC V was never completed though The Harlesburg Screaming Eagles were again in the leading teams of the tournament and with the quarterfinals set to be played were leading on points differential from the other teams.

We hope that our emergence fromthe wilderness can be overcome and Harlesburg will once again be a Basketball force to be reckoned with.

[Dancougar]

This is a friendly bump to put this on the front page. We're at 23, which is nice, although eventually hitting a multiple of 5 or 6 would be super. Signups will continue through Friday, and if there are no other host bids besides mine, I'll just have the tournament draw then under the assumption that people are okay with that.