Bremerton basketball suffers hiccup before state tournament

Published 4:28 pm Saturday, March 6, 2010

The Bremerton High School boys basketball team could enter the Class 3A state tournament on its longest losing streak of the season.

After a 66-50 loss to Franklin Pierce High School in Auburn on Friday, the Knights (16-6) will look to avoid their second two-game losing streak of the season when they face Renton High School at 6 p.m. Saturday in Auburn.

The loss to Franklin Pierce, coming on the heels of a state berth-clinching victory over Evergreen High School Tuesday at the Class 3A West Central District III/Southwest Tournament, means Bremerton will be either a No. 7 or 8 seed when state begins Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome.

Bremerton has not lost more than two consecutive games all season. It lost back-to-back contest to Sequim High School and Kingston High School during the regular season by a combined four points.

Since then, the Knights have won 10 of 12.

Had the Knights defeated Franklin Pierce, they would have faced Mount Rainier High School on Saturday in a game for the No. 4 or 6 seed.

Instead, the team will have a low seed and likely will get a difficult draw.

Renton (13-12) lost to Mount Rainer 52-50 Friday, setting up the draw against Bremerton.

The game is at 6 p.m. at Auburn High School.

Mount Rainier and Franklin Pierce play for fourth and sixth on the same court at 8 p.m.