OLYMPIA — The Port Angeles boys and girls basketball teams begin play at the state 2A basketball tournament at the Yakima SunDome beginning Wednesday with must-win games.
Meanwhile, the Neah Bay girls are already in the state 1B quarterfinals and are guaranteed to play at least two games at the Spokane Arena.
Both Port Angeles teams appear to have received favorable seeds. The Port Angeles boys will face a very familiar foe in their game at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday — Franklin Pierce. The Roughriders played Franklin Pierce in the District 2/3 tournament, winning 68-51.
Port Angeles (18-5, No. 6 in RPI) goes into the tournament as a No. 7 seed. Franklin Pierce (15-5, No. 11 RPI) is a No. 10 seed.
If the Riders lose that game, their season is over. If they win, they get to play two more games, entering the quarterfinals where they will finish somewhere in the final eight. The Riders’ next opponent is another very familiar foe — North Kitsap at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
North Kitsap (22-2) ended up as the No. 1 seed at the tournament, though the Vikings are No. 2 in the state in RPI. The Riders had two huge battles with the Vikings this season, losing in Poulsbo 76-74 and winning in Port Angeles 80-63. North Kitsap is technically the defending state champion.
The Port Angeles girls (17-7, No. 6 in RPI) are a No. 6 seed and will face No. 11-seed Prosser (17-6, No. 11 in RPI) at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The girls’ situation is identical to the boys. Lose that game and the Riders’ season is over. If they win, they will face No. 10 seed Archbishop Thomas Murphy (13-6, No. 10 in RPI) in the quarterfinals at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Neah Bay in 1B
Neah Bay (11-3, No. 4 in RPI) collected a No. 3 seed. Because the Red Devils won their regional, they get a first-round bye. They begin play straight into the quarterfinals at 7:15 p.m. Thursday against the winner of No. 13-seed Cusick (13-5, No. 13 in RPI) and No. 4-seed Wilbur-Creston-Keller (15-4, No. 3 in RPI). Win and the Red Devils will be in the state semifinals at 9 p.m. Friday. Lose and they will play at 2 p.m. Friday in a consolation bracket, still alive for a medal.
The state tournament will continue until Saturday when the medal games are played.
