Hoop teams heading to postseason play

The curtain has dropped – or nearly dropped – on the regular hoop season, meaning most local basketball programs are gearing up for postseason play.

By Kevin Hanson Senior Writer • February 2, 2017 11:25 am
The Bonney Lake Panthers played a hard game against the Spartans last Saturday, but came out behind 49-45. However, the Panthers are looking to finish the regular season 5th in league and head to postseason, while the Spartans, 8th in their league, look to be coming to an end of their season. Photo by Ray Still
The Bonney Lake Panthers played a hard game against the Spartans last Saturday, but came out behind 49-45. However, the Panthers are looking to finish the regular season 5th in league and head to postseason, while the Spartans, 8th in their league, look to be coming to an end of their season. Photo by Ray Still

The curtain has dropped – or nearly dropped – on the regular hoop season, meaning most local basketball programs are gearing up for postseason play.

Here’s a rundown of where eight local teams stand – boys and girls teams from Class 2A White River, 3A Bonney Lake and 4A Enumclaw and Sumner high schools.

WHITE RIVER

The highest-regarded local program is the Hornet girls team, which polished off a perfect South Puget Sound League 2A campaign. The 14-0 league slate accompanied an 18-2 overall mark.

With that, the White River girls sit at No. 2 in the statewide RPI rankings.

The team hosts an SPSL crossover contest against Eatonville at 7 tonight (Wednesday) and heads to the crossover tournament’s second round Saturday.

The White River boys placed third in the SPSL 2A standings with a 10-4 mark (12-8 overall). Their first crossover game was Tuesday night, with crossover finals slated for Saturday.

District play for both boys and girls teams begins Feb. 8 with games at Foss and Wilson high schools in Tacoma.

ENUMCLAW

The EHS boys finished the North Puget Sound League 4A campaign with a 9-5 mark, good for second place in the Olympic Division, and an overall record of 13-7.

As the Olympic No. 2, Enumclaw opens subdistrict play against the Cascade Division No. 2 at 4 p.m. Saturday at Auburn Riverside High. The game determines seeding into the district tourney that opens Feb. 9.

The EHS girls finished league play 6-8, good enough to slip into subdistrict play as the No. 5 team from the Olympic Division. That brings a loser-out contest at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against the Cascade Division’s No. 6 squad at Auburn Mountainview. The winner will advance to play at 11 a.m. Saturday at Auburn Riverside High for seeding into the district tourney.

BONNEY LAKE

The Panther boys will finish their Pierce County League 3A regular season Thursday with a contest at Mount Tahoma. Depending upon the outcome of a couple of games, the Panthers could finish No. 4, 5 or 6 in the PCL.

The top six advance to district play, so the squad will play Feb. 8.

The Bonney Lake girls will finish the PCL season with a home game Thursday against Mount Tahoma, most likely fifth in the league standings. The team is headed to the opening round of district play on Feb. 9.

SUMNER

The Spartan boys hosted Bellarmine Prep Tuesday night and wrap up the South Puget Sound League 4A season with a Thursday road trip to Rogers High.

With six SPSL teams advancing to district play, it’s unlikely the Spartans will qualify for postseason play, which begins Thursday.

Sumner’s girls, who will conclude the regular season with a Thursday home game against Rogers, are looking at an eighth-place finish in the nine-team SPSL. That means the end of the season.