A win last Thursday against Decatur would have been all Auburn Mountainview needed to claim sole possession of the South Puget Sound League 3A boys basketball title.

Despite a game-high 25 points from senior Keith Green however, the Lions (7-3 league, 13-7 overall) were unable to overcome the Gators (6-4, 11-9), losing 58-56 in overtime at Auburn Mountainview High School.

The loss – coupled with Enumclaw’s (7-3, 12-8) 71-53 win over Bonney Lake (1-9, 1-19) and Lakes’ (7-3, 13-7) 58-54 win over Peninsula (2-8, 4-16) – sets the stage for a three-way tie for first-place in the SPSL 3A.

The three teams will share the co-championship of the league in name, but will play a pair of mini-games beginning 7 p.m. Tuesday at Bonney Lake for seeding into the sub-district tourney, which begins Friday at Auburn Mountainview.

Lakes and Enumclaw – which split games during the regular season with the Lancers beating the Hornets 52-49 on Dec. 20 and losing 66-65 on Jan. 22 – will play two eight-minute halves. The loser of the contest is the No. 3 seed into the sub-district tourney, with the winner playing another mini-game Tuesday night against Auburn Mountainview to determine the No. 1 and 2 seeds.

The Lions have beaten the Lancers twice this regular season, with scores of 49-46 and 49-45. Auburn Mountainview and the Hornets have split regular season meetings with the Lions coming out on top 70-51 on Dec. 18 and Enumclaw winning 54-52 on Jan. 18.

The sub-district tourney begins at 5:30 p.m. this Friday.