Central at defending champs in round one

The Panthers varsity girls basketball will try to win their fifth straight when they to Springfield for the opening round of the Class 5A OSAA state basketball tournament. File photo submitted.

The 10th-seeded Panthers’ playoff opener is Saturday, 5:30 p.m., at 7th-seed Springfield.

The Millers (10-2, 17-8) enter the game with high hopes of duplicating last year’s success at the OSAA Class 5A state basketball tournament.

“Springfield is the reigning state champion. They are a solid team; however, they have lost a key post player to injuries, and another moved away. But they are still a good team,” coach Marc Burelson said. “They have a couple tough players we will need to make sure we contain, and they play good defense.”

Hadley Craig has been the Panthers (11-7, 15-9 overall) most consistent performer during the season. But Ashley Barba, Isabella Names, Emily Newbeck, McKenzie Wells and others have upped their own games in recent weeks. That trend will need to continue if the girls are to defeat Springfield and continue their postseason run.

“Like we have preached all season, we need to play as a team. Work together. Play tough solid defense,” Burelson said. “Use the flow of the offense to take advantage of the defense and get good shots.”

Central has been doing this of late, and the result is four straight wins, along with 10 wins in their last 12 games. But playoff games are of a higher intensity, and the girls must be ready from the get-go.

“We need to play a full game and not come out flat,” Burelson said. “We are looking to maintain the tempo we have been playing over the last few weeks.”

A lot is at stake in Saturday’s game.

“If we win, we will make it to the final site and be in the elite eight,” Burelson said. “More than likely, we would play the second-seed, Crater High School” at Linfield University in McMinnville.

Facing tough competition isn’t new to the Panthers, not this year. They are one of five teams from the Mid-Willamette Conference to make the playoffs. Also in are number one Silverton, Corvallis (3rd), South Albany (6th) and Crescent Valley (9th).

Central split its season series against South Albany and Crescent Valley. They were swept by West Albany and Silverton, to go 2-4 against the MWC’s best teams.

Silverton was the only common opponent for Central and Springfield. The Millers defeated the Foxes early in the season. While the Panthers dropped both their games.

The state tournament is Thursday-Saturday, March 7-9, at Linfield University in McMinnville.