Dennis Browne

Gig Harbor downed O’Dea 62-51 in a regional contest, will face Wednesday’s winner between Ferris and Rainier Beach Thursday at state.

The Gig Harbor boys basketball team will be taking its show on the road bright and early Saturday morning against the O’Dea Fighting Irish in a 10 a.m. Class 3A regional playoff game at Bellevue College. The Tides, ranked sixth in the state, will face No. 4 O’Dea (20-6) from the always-tough Seattle Metro League.

In a close, physical game indicative of two teams whose seasons would end with a loss, Gig Harbor defeated the young, talented Kennewick Lions, 63-51, in a District 3/4 3A girls basketball playoff Tuesday night at home to keep its state tournament aspirations alive. Peninsula, however, traveled all the way to eastern Oregon and dropped

The girls teams must win Tuesday to advance to regionals Saturday. The Tides boys will move on to state no matter what happens against the Fighting Irish on Saturday.

Luke Browne broke the Tides’ season record for 3-pointers in the 68-42 win, with regional and state games still to come.

Gig Harbor rallied to tie in the late going, but couldn’t get over the hump. The Tides, who had already clinched a regional berth, will play for third place on Saturday.

Gig Harbor’s Christian Parrish was named South Sound Conference defensive player of the year and teammates Luke Browne and Will Landram made the first team.

Peninsula wasn’t at its best in a 43-34 defeat of Auburn Riverside, but earned itself another game against North Thurston Thursday.

The Tides downed Auburn Mountainview, 61-48, in their district opener while Peninsula fell to Lincoln, 44-37.

Peninsula wound up tied with Yelm for the South Sound Conference’s final postseason berth, but lost the decisive draw.