Final weekend games could be crucial

POMEROY–Post-season play is assured for the Lady Pirates and, for the Pirate boys basketball team, the post-season picture is a bit more complicated and would be helped by a season-finale win over Garfield-Palouse.

With a win over Gar-Pal this Friday, the Lady Pirates would clinch first place in the Southeast 1B League and would start the playoffs with home-court advantage, playing the number four team on February 14, according to Athletic Director Toddette McGreevy. Barring upsets elsewhere in the league, Gar-Pal is likely to finish fourth and be Pomeroy’s opponent.

Should Gar-Pal upset the Lady Bucs, and Oakesdale wins out, the Lady Bucs and Oakesdale would both hold 8-2 records, and Oakesdale would slide into first by virtue of the pre-season tiebreaker draw.

In that event, the Lady Pirates would be in second and again have the home-court advantage against the number three team, most likely, Colton. That game would also be played on Feb. 14.

The Pirate boys are in a more difficult position.

Oakesdale and Gar-Pal are both tied 9-1 and face one another to decide that question February 8 in Palouse. That’ll settle first and second, with Prescott solidly in third.

At present, the Buc boys are in fourth with a 5-6 record and SJEL is fifth with a 4-6 record. If Gar-Pal wins against Pomeroy, and if SJEL falls to Oakesdale but wins against Touchet, both teams would finish 5-7, prompting a play-in game prior to the start of the league tournament.

McGreevy predicts the playoff game, which would be played on a neutral court, will be scheduled early next week.

The boy’s league tourney will pit No. 4 at No. 1, and No. 3 at No. 2, both games on Saturday, Feb. 15.