Sports

Both Tides teams, Seahawks girls opening state basketball playoffs

The Gig Harbor basketball scene is full of excitement and anticipation as three local teams enter the state playoffs this week.

The Gig Harbor boys and girls accomplished a rarity with both teams winning the South Sound Conference championship with a combined record of 33-4 and some dominating regular-season performances. The Peninsula Seahawk girls are a dangerous team at 12-5, entering district play with something to prove and a team that can prove it.

South Sound Conference co-champion Gig Harbor Tides boys. Photo courtesy of Billy Landram

Before looking ahead to the playoffs, let’s look at a few of the last games of the regular season and the momentum all three teams have entering this week. The Gig Harbor girls finished up their conference season at 13-1 with wins over River Ridge, 82-35, and Yelm, 61-50.

Junior guard Olivia Paul broke a 13-year record for 3-pointers in a game, dropping 11 threes and scoring 35 points in the win over River Ridge. The previous record of seven was shared by Holly Rupert and C. Fawcett. Paul was described by Coach Mike Guinasso in December as being “a streaky shooter that can really get hot.” She wasn’t just hot, she was on fire, and that record might stand for quite some time.

South Sound Conference co-champion Gig Harbor girls. Courtesy photo

The Gig Harbor boys finished the last three games of the regular season strong with impressive victories in each. Their team defense and quick ball movement were key factors in keeping them unbeaten on their home court. Another 3-point record was broken when Tides junior Luke Browne eclipsed Paul Grobins’ 31-year standard of nine in a game. Nicknamed “Downtown Browne,” he exploded for 11 threes and 37 points in three quarters as the Tides defeated North Thurston Monday night. Gig Harbor, a well-balanced team with talent at all positions, finished the regular season at 19-1.

The Peninsula Seahawks girls finished in third place in the tough South Sound Conference with a 10-5 record with tight losses to co-champs North Thurston and Gig Harbor. They enter the playoffs winning two of their last three games. Coach Mike Schick’s team travels over the narrows to play the sixth-ranked Lincoln Abes Friday at 7 p.m.

Peninsula’s Makena Smith battles for position with Gig Harbor’s Riley Peschek. The Seahawks claimed the league’s No. 3 playoff seed. Photo courtesy of Maria Dorsten

“Lincoln is well-balanced, quick, fast, athletic and plays hard,” said Schick. “It will take a complete game overall to be successful.”

If the Seahawks win Friday night, they’ll play the winner of North Thurston-Auburn at Auburn on Wednesday night. If they lose, they’ll be at home Tuesday night against either Auburn Riverside or the Greater St. Helens League No. 3 seed. Times to be determined.

The Tides boys are co-champions of the South Sound Conference with the Timberline Blazers. However, Gig Harbor lost a preseason number draw and thus receive the No. 2 seed. The Tides will open up against the state’s second-ranked 3A team, the 19-1 Auburn Trojans, at 6 p.m. Saturday at Auburn High School.

Olivia Paul broke Gig Harbor’s all-time 3-point record with 11 in a game. Courtesy photo

The fifth-ranked Tides drew a tough opener, but so did Auburn. If Gig Harbor wins, it will earn an automatic spot in the state tournament and play Thursday against the Mount Tahoma-Capital winner at Auburn. If it loses, it will get a home game against either Lincoln or Kent-Meridian on Wednesday night in a loser-out affair. Times of games yet to be determined.

The 14-3 Tides girls are ranked eighth in the state and were co-conference champions with North Thurston, but won a preseason number draw. As the top seed from the conference, they’ll open up the playoffs at home Friday at 7 p.m. against 6-9 Auburn Mountainview. The vast difference in opening opponents of the Tides teams shows the importance of winning a preseason number draw. If the Tides win, they will have an automatic bid in the state tournament and will play the winner of Bonney Lake-Kelso Wednesday at Auburn. If they lose, they will face the Timberline-Prairie winner Tuesday night at Gig Harbor. Times of games yet to be determined.

All playoff tickets must be purchased at gofan.co.

Luke Browne broke Gig Harbor’s all-time 3-point record with 11 in a game. Photo courtesy of Billy Landram