BATTLE GROUND — Perhaps the third time’s charm for Battle Ground boys basketball.
For two straight years, the Tigers’ postseason run began ahead of the Class 4A bi-district tournament with a play-in game because of a third-place league finish.
Not this time.
A 56-40 victory over Camas on Wednesday, plus help from other league teams on the final night of league play, means the Tigers are the 4A Greater St. Helens League’s No. 2 seed into next week’s bi-district tournament.
Battle Ground travels to either Federal Way or Kentridge, the same team that knocked the Tigers out of the Tacoma Dome in last year’s state tournament, at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 to begin the double-elimination tournament. Federal Way and Kentridge play for North Puget Sound League playoff seeding Thursday.
Wednesday featured a number of scenarios to determine playoff seedings for Battle Ground, Skyview and Camas, including tentative in-necessary tiebreaker games to settle the final two playoff spots. But the Tigers did their part Wednesday by winning their season finale on Senior Night behind Kaden Perry’s game-high 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks to secure a playoff berth.
However, Battle Ground needed an hour postgame to learn what seed they’d be. Union’s 89-80 overtime win over Skyview means the Tigers are the second seed. Skyview is No. 3 and plays in a district pigtail (play-in) at 6 p.m. Feb. 10 against Enumclaw at Olympia High School. As the No. 1 seed, Union (20-0) hosts Kentlake at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 to open the postseason.
Brendan Beall added 16 points and Nate Millspaugh had seven for the Tigers Wednesday, who took control in the fourth quarter with an 11-2 scoring spurt to make it a 48-29 lead midway through the quarter.
Jackson Clemmer’s nine points paced Camas, which ends its season at 7-13 overall.
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BATTLE GROUND 56, CAMAS 40
CAMAS — Jackson Clemmer 9, Caleb Shira 6, Armand Nunez 6, Kylan Thompson 2, Blake Ascuitto 4, Christian Lenard 6, Charlie Bump 4, Kenny Wright 2, Titan Phillips 0, Blake Bell 1. Totals 16 (4) 4-7 40.
BATTLE GROUND — Kaden Perry 25, Nate Millspaugh 7, Brendan Beall 16, Bishop Straube 0, Max Ramirez 4, Cole Billingsley 4, Alex Longrie 0, Brody Smith 1, Jake Kostman 0. Totals 19 (2) 16-22 56.
Camas: 11 8 6 15 – 40
B. Ground: 13 14 8 21 – 56
