Panthers, Wildcats in playoff opener

With the regular season behind them, the Panthers varsity boys travel to second-ranked Wilsonville for Friday’s opener of the OSAA Class 5A state basketball tournament. Pictured is the team’s coach, Tyler Allen. File photo by Lance Masterson.

Let the playoffs begin.

Central High’s varsity boys basketball team won two of its last three games to qualify for the first round of the OSAA Class 5A state basketball playoffs.

As a result, the Panthers remained on the right side of the bubble, earned the tournament’s 15th seed, and travels to second ranked Wilsonville (16-0, 22-3 overall), the Northwest Oregon Conference champion, on Friday.

Tipoff is 7 p.m.

Only number one Summit High School, Intermountain Conference (15-0, 20-4), is ranked higher than the Wildcats.

Such a lofty perch is familiar grounds for the host team

“Wilsonville is the standard when it comes to championship basketball,” Panthers coach Tyler Allen said. “Coach (Chris) Roche prepares his players very well, year after year, and it’s never a surprise when they win a championship.”

Central’s only loss in its last three games came against Woodburn (17-1, 20-4), the Mid-Willamette Conference champs, in the regular season finale. The Bulldogs are seeded fourth in the tourney. Thus, the Panthers take on two of the state’s best teams back-to-back.

“Playing a top team in Woodburn is nice to prepare for yet another top team,” Allen said. “But the style of play is much different between the two teams.”

The Wildcats are led by Kallen Gutridge, 6-4 senior wing, and Kyle Counts, 6-7 senior wing.

“They play a very aggressive denial defense. It’s much like Silverton’s style of play, but even more difficult to get into our offense with how they deny the wing entry,” Allen said in assessing Wilsonville. “We will have a challenge to match up with the wings, but I like our match-up at point guard and the posts.”

An upset is possible if the Panthers play their best basketball of the season.

“We’ll need to rebound better than we’ve done all season; (Wilsonville) is very good on the offensive glass,” Allen said.

The Panthers will also need to limit turnovers.

“We can hang with the top teams in the state when we keep our turnover numbers in the single digits,” Allen said.

Finally, Central must make its free throws.

“We have to take advantage of those easy points,” Allen said.

For these things to happen, the Panthers will need strong performances from its leaders, senior Esteban Chavez and sophomore Jack Holestine, at guard, and senior post Kai Bennett, who will be tasked with scoring and, on the other side of the court, containing Gutridge and Counts.

“(Bennett) has really started to shine for us,” Allen said. “He is rebounding really well and finishing at a much higher rate around the rim. We will need him to be great Friday night to give us a chance to win.”

The Panthers (11-7, 13-11) were fifth in the Mid-Willamette Conference. Teams ahead of them in the standings - Woodburn, West Albany, South Albany and Silverton - are seeded fourth, fifth, 11th and 14th, respectively, at the tournament.

The Panthers swept the season series against Silverton, but were swept by the other three teams. Central did play South Albany tough, however, losing 45-44 to the Redhawks at home.

Against common opponents, Wilsonville lost to Woodburn, 57-47, and to West Albany, 66-59, at the Capitol City Classic in December.