Mid-Season 5A Playoff Picture
We are coming up on the last couple of weeks of the regular season and as league play swings through the second (or even third) go-around of round-robin action, 6A teams are trying to finalize their positions in the 16-team…
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Continue ReadingWe are coming up on the last couple of weeks of the regular season and as league play swings through the second (or even third) go-around of round-robin action, 6A teams are trying to finalize their positions in the 16-team playoffs. Here’s a quick look at how things stand in each of the leagues across the state; what teams are vying for league titles while which ones are simply fighting to stay in the mix for a post-season berth.
(current OSAA ranking as of 2/14 listed in parenthesis)
NWOC
Likely In: Wilsonville (2), La Salle (7), Parkrose (13)
Work to Do: Putnam (19), Hood River Valley (20), Canby (24)
While Wilsonville and La Salle are locks to make the postseason field as neck-and-neck conference title contenders, Parkrose is also likely in as it sits a game up on Canby in the league standings with a solid OSAA ranking. Meanwhile, the league’s fourth automatic bid is still completely up for grabs — Canby and Hood River Valley are separated by just a half game, while Putnam remains just two games back with four to play. At #19, The Kingsmen are also in play for one of 5A’s two at-large spots, which ultimately go to the highest-ranked teams that didn’t automatically qualify.
Midwestern
Likely In: Churchill (4), North Eugene (8), Ashland (10)
Work to Do: Crater (14), Thurston (15)
With only three automatic qualifying spots, the Midwestern League appears relatively locked up at this point, with Churchill 2.5 games up on Crater in third place. At 9-0 in league play, North Eugene controls its own destiny as the favorite to bring home the title, while Churchill remains the top-ranked MWL team. Ashland is secure in second place, while Crater and Thurston remain prime contenders for an at-large spot. A 2/24 matchup between those two teams may ultimately determine which MWL team will be the fourth represented in the postseason. Meanwhile, Ashland and North Eugene also need big wins to secure a spot in the top-8 and a home playoff game.
MWC
Likely In: Woodburn (3), Central (11), West Albany (13)
Work to Do: Crescent Valley (16), Corvallis (17), South Albany (18), Silverton (22)
As it stands, the Mid-Willamette Conference is still a bit of a crapshoot, with only three games separating the third and seventh place teams. While Woodburn and West Albany appear locked in as automatic qualifiers, Central is technically still in jeopardy, but remains in good standing for an at-large spot regardless. Crescent Valley, Corvallis, South Albany, and Silverton will remain scrambling for the final automatic qualifying spot with five league games left to play. Chaos could certainly still ensue.
IMC
Likely In: Summit (1), Redmond (5), Mountain View (6), Bend (9)
Work to Do: N/A
The Intermountain Conference is currently a unique case, as four of its six teams appear locked into postseason play while the other two are out of contention. The conference only has three auto-bids, two of which are likely to be occupied by Bend and Summit, who are tied in first at 9-2 in league play. Meanwhile, Redmond and Mountain View will battle for the third spot, but as a consolation prize, as both are ranked highly enough to be guaranteed an at-large spot in the event they finish fourth. Bend, Mountain View, and Redmond all still have a top-8 seed to play for, which would provide a hugely important postseason home court advantage.