The Skyview boys basketball team entered this week with a two-game lead in the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League with two games to go.
Even so, Skyview coach Bob Benson was not ready to celebrate just yet.
And after a tough loss Tuesday at Kelso, Benson is not taking anything for granted heading into Thursday night’s league finale against last-place Heritage.
“Heritage played us tough last month at their place,” Benson said. “We’ve got to be ready to play on Thursday and get the job done.”
It might be easy for the Storm to look past Heritage, given the Timberwolves 3-16 overall record and 1-8 mark in the 4A GSHL.
But since Heritage’s 66-60 loss to Skyview on Jan. 26, the Timberwolves have lost by seven to Battle Ground, by two to Evergreen and by three to Kelso.
It is just indicative of how competitive the 4A GSHL has been in boys basketball this season.
And that competitiveness is not exclusive to the 4A GSHL boys.
As league play ends tonight and Friday in the 4A and 3A GSHL, there are plenty of unanswered questions that may not be resolved after the league season ends.
In the 4A GSHL, all six teams advance to next week’s district tournament. However, the No. 2 team gets a bye from the first two rounds and the No. 1 team advances directly to the district championship game.
The Skyview boys (7-2) will clinch the No. 1 seed to district with a win over Heritage today, or with a Kelso (6-3) loss at Battle Ground. Mountain View (5-4) remains in the mix for the No. 2 seed.
In girls play, Skyview has clinched the No. 1 seed. Heritage (6-3) and Evergreen (6-3) are tied for second. The Plainsmen have an edge heading into tonight’s game, finishing with last-place Mountain View while Heritage plays Skyview.
The 3A GSHL follows a similar postseason format, however only the top four teams advance to the district playoffs. And in both boys and girls play, those four teams have been determined in the 3A GSHL. Now all that remains to be settled is seeding.
In the boys, Union (7-2) can clinch a league title and No. 1 seed with a win tonight over Camas (5-4). But if Union stumbles, Prairie (6-3) hopes a win over Columbia River Friday will force a tiebreaker game with Union. At the very least, a win for the Falcons will give them the No. 2 seed.
The Prairie girls have clinched the 3A GSHL title. The No. 2 seed will go to the winner of tonight’s Camas-Union game, barring a stunning upset of Columbia River over Prairie.
