Friday, Feb. 06, 2009

Notebook: Kamiakin boys set sights on third seed

By Jack Millikin, Herald staff writer

The Kamiakin boys basketball team is coming off a big weekend after a pair of wins over West Valley and Richland.

This weekend could be an even bigger one for the Braves in terms of setting up the CBBN district playoffs.

Kamiakin (9-8, 4-5) sits in fifth place in the CBBN Cascade Division but has clinched at least the fourth spot in the 4A district playoffs beginning Feb. 14. The Braves trail Richland (10-7, 5-5) by one game but can forge a tie for third or even grab it outright with some help from Walla Walla or West Valley -- the Bombers' opponents this weekend.

If Richland wins both games, Kamiakin would have to beat its final three opponents -- Hanford and Eastmont at home, and No. 3 Eisenhower on the road -- to tie them at 6-6. If the Bombers split, however, the Braves can tie them by winning two of their final three.

"I don't think we can spend a lot of time concerned about what other teams are doing," said Kamiakin coach Brian Meneely. "I'm excited for what we did (last weekend), but we can't sit back and expect the same thing to happen.

"I was interested to come in Monday and see if the kids had that 'satisfied' feeling, but I think we have our minds right heading into the weekend."

Hanford (5-11, 1-8), by virtue of its 3A standing, is locked into the 3A district playoffs along with West Valley and Sunnyside. The Falcons have proven they have the firepower to affect the division race, most notably in a 55-46 home win over Richland two weeks ago.

"They've been a good basketball team, obviously in the fact that they played tough in Walla Walla last week and beat Richland," Meneely said. "I always look forward to competing against (Falcons coach) Paul (Mayer)."

Undefeated Eisenhower (17-0, 9-0) will present some obvious problems on the road, but the Braves will return to Kennewick for their season finale against Eastmont (5-12, 1-8) on Tuesday.

"It's nice to play a team like (Ike) at the end of the year," Meneely said. "It gives you an idea of what your team needs."

-- Clay Lewis, who was recently inducted into the Washington State Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame, will be honored at halftime of Saturday's Eastmont-Hanford boys game at 7:30 p.m.

Lewis, who headed up the Falcons boys track and field program before retiring after the 2005 season, was also a girls basketball assistant coach for several years -- including the undefeated 1986 team led by Jim Murphy that captured the 3A state title.

* Jack Millikin: 582-1406; jmillikin@tricityherald.com