This week’s high school basketball schedule will give us a sneak peek at what it is in store this season in leagues in Southwest Washington.
The Class 4A Greater St. Helens League got the jump on the other leagues with league games on Friday. This week, the 3A GSHL, 2A GSHL and Trico League will play some league games before going on the two-week holiday break.
Most basketball coaches would prefer to play non-league games in December, while their teams begin to jell for bigger contests later in the season.
But this season, with some odd league configurations, an early start to league play is necessary.
The seven-team 3A GSHL means each team will play 12 league games (playing each team twice). With byes thrown in, it would take the league seven weeks to play its league schedule if each team played two dates each week.
That’s why a couple of weeks in January will feature three-game weeks for some teams, so that the league can complete its schedule by Feb. 3.
The Trico League consists of eight teams, which means a 14-game league schedule.
The five-team 4A and 2A GSHL will play 12-game league schedule, with each team playing league rivals three times during the regular season.
So 12- and 14-game schedules mean league games before the holidays.
But even with league games this week, we still might not get a clear picture of how league play might shape up this season.
Take 4A GSHL boys basketball, for example. Union was the 3A state champion last season and is making the switch to the 4A GSHL this season.
The Titans got a bye in the first round of league play on Friday. They will face Skyview and Evergreen this week, two teams that opened league Friday with losses.
The first chance Union will get to potentially face an unbeaten team in league will be Jan. 4 when the Titans host Battle Ground.
The Battle Ground girls, who opened league with a nice win over a shorthanded Evergreen team on Friday, won’t get their first crack at Skyview, the league’s other 1-0 team, until Jan. 7.
Evergreen is actually glad it won’t see Skyview until Jan. 4. The Plainsmen are battling injuries right now, and hope to be healthy enough to get past Heritage on Tuesday.
In the 3A GSHL, the Prairie girls again are the team to beat. And the Falcons have won three non-league games by 24, 49 and 24 points. With games this week against Fort Vancouver (0-5) and Columbia River (0-5), it figures to be a little while before the Falcons are challenged.
The 3A GSHL boys basketball teams figure to offer more compelling matchups in early league play. Hudson’s Bay (3-0) opens Tuesday at Columbia River (3-2). Kelso (2-1), which pushed Union to overtime before falling, opens Tuesday by hosting Camas (3-1). The Papermakers’ lone loss was to Union.
The 2A GSHL will only play one round of league play before the holiday break, with defending league champion Mark Morris boys getting the first bye of the season. The Washougal boys (3-2), who have enjoyed success against 1A competition but not so much against 3A foes, will open at R.A. Long (2-2) on Thursday.
In girls play, Woodland (4-1) will open league Friday at home against Hockinson (3-2).
The Trico League will get in two rounds of league play this week, with games Thursday and Saturday. The La Center boys (3-1) will open on Thursday at home against Stevenson (0-3) and Saturday at Kalama (3-1).
Tim Martinez is the assistant sports editor/prep coordinator for The Columbian. He can be reached at (360) 735-4538 or e-mail at tim.martinez@columbian.com
