When Sunshine and Akron High Schools closed their doors after the 2015 school year, it looked as if Ellwood Christian and Keith would be automatic qualifiers for the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s basketball playoffs this year.

The math was pretty simple.

Each area is guaranteed two playoff qualifiers and the Bears and Eagles were the only two teams left in class 1A, area 5.

As it turns out, it won’t be quite that easy.

The AHSAA adjusted its alignment for the 2015-16 school year by adding Isabella to class 1A, area 5 to give the Bears and Eagles one more team to battle for an area championship this season.

“We’ve always had to play our way in,” said Keith athletic director Tommy Tisdale, who also coaches the Bears’ boys basketball team. “You can’t miss something you’ve never had.”

Tisdale said he found out through a third-party that Isabella had been added to the area, but confirmed it by checking the AHSAA’s Winter Sports book, which is listed on the association’s website and lists the guidelines for that season of athletics.

Tisdale said his biggest issue with the change was how it affected the Bears’ schedule. At a 1A school like Keith, the Bears usually schedule up because they usually are one of the best teams in their class in boys and girls basketball. Keith also likes to schedule opponents that will ensure big crowds to help the school financially.

With the swap, Keith had to drop Calhoun off its schedule to make room for Isabella.

Keith will likely go into the season among the favorites in class 1A. Although the Bears didn’t make it out of the area tournament last season, they were ranked No. 1 most of the year.

On the other hand, Ellwood Christian had a chance to automatically be guaranteed a spot in the sub-regional round of the AHSAA’s basketball playoffs. Walker said to his knowledge the Eagles have never played beyond the area tournament.

Instead, either Isabella, Keith or Ellwood will be eliminated after the area tournament.

“At first, it was almost like a write-in with and Keith and myself, we were going to go farther than the area tournament. Now with another team in it, we just have to battle it out,” said Ellwood Christian athletic director Darrell Walker. “The top two teams go, so we’ve just got to battle it out on the court.”

Unlike Keith, Ellwood Christian had room on its schedule to add games against Isabella for January, so the Eagles didn’t have to drop any pre-scheduled games.

The first basketball practices of the year are scheduled for Oct. 19 and the first games can be played as early as Nov. 9.