PORT ANGELES — The drive to the postseason is on this week for North Olympic Peninsula boys and girls basketball teams.
This week marks the final week of the regular season, the last chance for teams to climb the standings in search of a league title, lock in a playoff berth or move ahead in the race for postseason positioning.
Two area teams — the Neah Bay boys and girls — already have clinched North Olympic League titles and a spot in the Class 1B Tri-District Tournament.
A look at the potential playoff scenarios for boys and girls teams:
Olympic League 2A girls
Port Angeles (8-2, 15-3) could still earn an outright Olympic League title if it wins games today at Bremerton and Thursday at Kingston, and Olympic (9-2, 13-5) is upset by North Mason (0-10, 5-13).
That scenario is unlikely, however, the Roughriders could share the Olympic League crown with the Trojans if they can take care of business on the road.
In the event of a tie, a neutral-court contest would be played.
“League policy is that for a league title/No. 1 seed tie, there would be a playoff Saturday, at a time and site to be determined,” Port Angeles coach Michael Poindexter said.
“So if we win two, we’d play Olympic Saturday, somewhere, sometime.”
Poindexter said a location for that potential game likely will be announced Friday.
Finishing first or second is a priority as the top two Olympic League teams will host West Central-SeaKing district tournament games against the South Puget Sound League’s fourth- and fifth-place teams Thursday, Feb. 11.
Port Angeles also faces the possibility of finishing third or fourth in the Olympic League and having to go on the road to begin district action next Thursday at the South Puget Sound or Seamount League runner-up.
North Kitsap (7-3, 10-7) sits a game back of the Riders in third place. The Vikings, who split the season series with Port Angeles, visit Sequim today and host Bremerton on Thursday.
Poindexter believes a draw, previously conducted by league athletic directors but not announced, would decide the second and third spots in the playoffs.
Kingston (6-4, 11-7), also could tie the Riders in the standings if they win today against North Mason and Thursday against Port Angeles and the Riders lose out.
If that scenario were to occur, Port Angeles and Kingston also would have split the season series, and a draw would decide the third- and fourth-place seeds for the playoffs.
Sequim (2-9, 6-11) missed the playoffs and will wrap its season tonight with senior night against North Kitsap.
Olympic League 1A girls
Seeding is marginally easier to understand in the Olympic League 1A girls race.
Coupeville (6-0, 12-4) has clinched the league championship and the No. 1 seed to the West Central District Tournament.
The two other playoff spots will be determined this week.
Port Townsend (3-3, 6-10), Klahowya (2-4, 3-13) and Chimacum (1-5, 4-13) all will face each other this week.
The Olympic League 1A’s second seed will host a loser-out game against the Nisqually League’s third seed Saturday, Feb. 13.
The third-seed will host the Nisqually League No. 4 in a loser-out game Thursday, Feb. 11.
The winner advances to another loser-out contest at the Nisqually League runner-up Saturday, Feb. 13.
North Olympic League
Neah Bay (5-0, 11-4) has clinched the league crown and will play a Tri-District Tournament game at Port Angeles High School at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13.
Clallam Bay (2-2, 12-3) also will play a playoff game at Port Angeles High School.
The Bruins will face the Sea-Tac League’s No. 6 team in a loser-out contest at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
If Clallam Bay wins that game, they play a second-loser out game against the Northwest League runner-up for a berth into the double elimination Tri-District Tournament.
SeaTac League
Quilcene (5-3, 10-7) could finish as high as third in the SeaTac League if it can beat Mount Rainier Lutheran (5-2, 11-5) at home tonight, and the Hawks fall to Shorewood Christian Friday.
Finishing third would give the Rangers host a loser-out, winner-to-Tri-Districts game, against the Northwest League No. 5 Thursday, Feb. 11.
Quilcene also could hit the road for a loser-out, winner-to-Tri-District game Feb.11 if they finish fourth or fifth in league play.
Olympic League 2A boys
The situation is much clearer on the boys side.
Port Angeles (4-6, 8-10) is guaranteed a playoff berth, but could improve from fifth seed to fourth seed with wins at home against Bremerton (7-3, 10-7) tonight and Kingston (5-5, 9-9) Thursday, coupled with a Buccaneers loss to North Mason today.
The Riders would have to win out and win a draw for the fourth seed if Kingston wins today.
The Olympic League No. 4 visits the South Puget Sound’s No. 2 team, while the Olympic’s fifth seed will likely visit No. 2 River Ridge, the South Puget Sound League champions.
Sequim (2-9, 6-13) will miss out on the postseason and wraps its season at North Kitsap today.
Olympic League 1A boys
Port Townsend (5-1, 7-10) leads rival Chimacum (4-2, 6-11) for first place heading into tonight’s game against third-place Coupeville (3-3).
All three teams are likely postseason-bound, as Klahowya (0-5, 1-16) is struggling this season.
Saturday’s Cowboys at Redhawks game could decide the league title.
The league champion will open double-elimination West Central District 3 tournament play with a game at Sumner High School at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16.
The second-seed will host a loser-out game against the Nisqually League’s No. 3 seed at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13.
The third-seed hosts the Nisqually League No. 4 in a loser-out game at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. And the winner of that contest visits the Nisqually League runner-up in a loser-out game set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13.
Evergreen League 1A
Forks (4-9, 6-13) wraps its regular season at home against Montesano (8-4, 13-5) tonight.
The Spartans sit fourth in the league standings, ahead of Elma (3-9, 5-13) and Tenino (3-9, 5-11).
Those two teams also play tonight, and if Forks loses tonight the Spartans will become Elma’s biggest fans against the Beavers.
Forks swept the season series with the Eagles, but was swept by Tenino.
An Elma win tonight, followed by an Eagles loss to first-place Hoquiam on Friday, would put the Spartans in the playoffs.
The Evergreen League’s fourth seed will open the Southwest District Tournament with a visit to TriCo League-champion King’s Way Christian (Vancouver) (11-0, 13-2) on Thursday, Feb. 12
North Olympic League
Neah Bay (5-0, 14-2) the league champion and will play a Tri-District Tournament game at Port Angeles High School at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13.
Clallam Bay (2-2, 10-6) also will play a playoff game at Port Angeles High School.
The Bruins will face the Northwest League’s fifth-place team in a loser-out contest at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
If Clallam Bay wins that game, they play a second-loser out game against the SeaTac League’s No. 3 team for a berth into the double elimination Tri-District Tournament.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.