Tiebreakers on tap for SPSL North 4A boys, girls basketball

Before the postseason picture can completely come into focus, several South Puget Sound League North 4A boys and girls basketball teams will play a series of tiebreakers Tuesday to sort out seeding into this week's league tournaments.

By Shawn Skager • February 4, 2013 6:33 pm
Auburn's Harold Lee drives around Auburn Riverside's Devon Larson to deliver a shot during the Trojans' 67-34 win over the Ravens on Friday. Lee had 13 points in the win.
Auburn's Harold Lee drives around Auburn Riverside's Devon Larson to deliver a shot during the Trojans' 67-34 win over the Ravens on Friday. Lee had 13 points in the win.

Before the postseason picture can completely come into focus, several South Puget Sound League North 4A boys and girls basketball teams will play a series of tiebreakers Tuesday to sort out seeding into this week’s league tournaments.

For the boys, Auburn and Tahoma finished the regular season with identical 12-4 league records. While the schools share the league title, the Bears (15-5 overall) earned the No. 1 seed into the SPSL tourney on the strength of their two regular season wins over Auburn (82-71 on Dec. 15 and 80-56 on Jan. 22).

Tahoma plays SPSL South 4A champion Curtis (14-2 league, 18-2 overall) at 8 p.m. Thursday at the ShoWare Center in Kent for the No. 1 and 2 seeds into the district tourney.

For the Trojans (13-7 overall), it’s the No. 2 seed and a 3:30 p.m. game Thursday at the ShoWare against SPSL South second-place Federal Way (13-3, 17-3) for the No. 3 and 4 seeds into district, which begins Feb. 13.

After Auburn and Tahoma, the picture gets murky with Jefferson, Kent-Meridian and Mount Rainier all tied for third-place with 10-6 league records.

The three teams will play mini-game tiebreakers – consisting of two eight-minute quarters – at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Auburn High School.

Mount Rainier (12-8 overall) plays Kent-Meridian (12-8 overall) in the first game, with the loser getting the No. 5 seed and the winner earning a game against Jefferson (11-9 overall) for the No. 3 and 4 seeds into the SPSL tourney.

Girls playoffs

For the girls, Kentwood and Auburn Riverside also play a tiebreaker mini-game at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Auburn Mountainview High School.

The Ravens and Conquerors finished the regular season tied for second in the SPSL North 4A with 13-3 league records. Because the teams split regular-season meetings – with the Conquerors (14-4 overall) besting the Ravens (14-5 overall) 38-36 on Dec. 15 and Auburn Riverside beating Kentwood 71-59 on Jan. 22 – the tiebreaker is needed to determine the No. 2 and 3 seeds into the league tourney.

The No. 2 seed will play SPSL South 4A No. 2 Puyallup (14-2, 18-2) at 5 p.m. Thursday at the ShoWare Center for the No. 3 and 4 seeds into districts. The No. 3 seed plays the South’s No. 3 Federal Way (12-4, 16-4) at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at Puyallup High School for the No. 5 and 6 seeds into the district tourney, which begins Feb. 13.

Top-ranked Mount Rainier (16-0, 19-1) captured the SPSL North 4A title and takes on Beamer (15-1, 17-3) at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the ShoWare Center.