FILE PHOTO

Junior Cami Lubereski brings the ball up the court for the Fife Trojans girls basketball team. The Trojans will play three of their remaining four games this season on the road and currently sit on the outside looking in on playoff discussions.

Playoffs bids on the horizon

By Ben Miller

While league playoffs are starting up next week for teams all around the state, the Fife Trojans girls and boys basketball teams still have another two weeks to go until they get to start focusing on the postseason. The Trojans’ play over those next two weeks will determine whether there will even be postseason play for both squads.

In order to get into the district playoffs, the Trojans need to finish in the top three of the five-team Nisqually League. With four of their final five games coming on the road, it could be an uphill battle.

Boys Basketball

The Trojans boys basketball team knows what it’s like to play in the state tournament. After finishing the regular season 5-15 last year, the Trojans found their zone in the playoffs and made an unexpected run to the Tacoma Dome.

Sneaking in through the backdoor, Fife was able to experience the state playoffs and even managed to get a win. This year, though, coach Mark Schelbert is hoping that the team can find its way back to the state competition in a more traditional way. And so far, they’re on the right track.

“We’d like to finish first in the league, that’s our goal,” Schelbert said. “There’s an easier road in districts if you finish first.”

The Trojans took a big step forward toward that goal in the first half of conference play. With a 63-56 win at Foster Jan. 29, Fife put itself as the sole leader of the Nisqually League, with a record of 4-0.

Injuries have been a concern for the Trojans so far this season. A number of players have missed games throughout the year, and starting center Chris Finlayson may be out for the season. But they have still managed to keep winning through that adversity.

“It’s been one thing or another all year,” Schelbert said. “Luckily we’ve got great depth and the younger guys are doing a nice job for us, and we’ve had to rely on that. In a normal year we’d be hurting.”

Schelbert said that the Trojans have a legitimate 13 players that can play at a competitive level in games. In a normal year, he said that number is usually closer to seven or eight.

“We’re blessed to have the depth we have,” he said. “We’ve got some pretty talented players, we’re not smoke and mirrors.”

Another bonus that last year’s run to the state tournament provides them is the experience of knowing that they’re never out of it until all of the games have been played. While the Trojans may be in a good position right now, even if they were to falter, Schelbert doesn’t have to go back very far to show evidence of what can be done when his team gets going.

“I prefer not to do it that way, but it is good to know we can,” he said about the playoff run of last year. “That’s something we can go back to and we know what we need to do. It is well worth the effort.”

Girls Basketball

Right now, the Trojans girls basketball team might be on the outside looking in on the playoff field. After a 48-34 loss to Foster Jan. 29, the Trojans find themselves in the fourth place spot in the Nisqually League.

Foster, Eatonville and Steilacoom are all tied for first place in the league with identical 3-1 records. The Trojans are currently 1-3, which puts them two games back of a postseason bid.

“In order for us to catch up with them, we need to go into their home courts and play really solid basketball,” said coach Mark Jones.

The Trojans play three of their final four league games on the road to end the season. But Jones said that facing an opponent a second time is something that could be a good thing for his young squad.

“I think the second time you face an opponent, you learn so much more than we’ve scouted,” Jones said. “There’s nothing like experiencing physical play and knowing what’s coming at you.”

Though he still knows that it is going to be an uphill climb to snag one of the league’s three district playoff spots. Playing on the road is tough, and playing on the road with all the pressure to win might be even tougher.

“I’d expect that some of those are going to be pretty hostile environments,” Jones said.  “We’ve taken some road trips already this year and hopefully those road trips will prepare our girls for what to expect.”

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