Windham’s goal is clear. Win and the Eagles are in.

For the last few weeks, high school basketball teams contending for the last few tournament spots have been watching the Heal point standings closely.

For teams on the bubble, like the Windham boys or Falmouth girls, tonight is their last chance to get in.

The regular season ends tonight. The Heal point standings will be final and the top 50 percent of teams in each of the four classes will advance to preliminary-round games or straight to the quarterfinals, which start Feb. 18 in Class A.

Windham knows what it has to do but it won’t be easy. The Eagles are home against second-ranked Bonny Eagle, which beat them 78-57 on Jan. 29.

Windham’s bid highlights a tight race among three teams for the eighth and final spot in Western Class A boys.

Windham and Marshwood are tied for eighth with a tourney index of 55.5556. Scarborough is 10th, less than four points behind.

Marshwood plays at Noble and Scarborough is at Kennebunk. A Windham win would be worth more Heal points than wins by Marshwood and Scarborough. A Windham loss opens the door for Marshwood and Scarborough.

Both teams would need certain things to happen to get in. There’s also a chance they could be tied for the last spot, in which case Scarborough would get in because it beat the Hawks 52-42 in December.

In Class B, the Falmouth boys and girls are both in 10th place. Getting to ninth would get them a preliminary-round game. Both teams are at Cape Elizabeth tonight.

The boys have the longer shot. They are eight points behind ninth-place Maranacook. The girls are less than three points behind Wells in ninth.

“We still have a chance but we’re going to have to have some help,” said Dave Halligan, the boys’ coach.

The Yachtsmen, who graduated all five starters from last season’s state champions, have lost several close games.

“That’s the way the season has gone,” said Halligan.

If the Yachtsmen fail to make the tournament, it will be for the first time in 27 years.

The Falmouth girls might be able to pass Wells at No. 9 with a win. Wells hosts Freeport, which won’t bring as many Heal points as would a Falmouth win over Cape.

“This is where we find ourselves,” said Falmouth Coach Mari Warner. “If we don’t beat Cape, we won’t get in; but if we do beat them, we think we have a pretty good chance.

“We got ourselves into this position, now we have to get ourselves out. We’re fighting for a preliminary-round game. We just want to be playing good basketball.”

In their first meeting Jan. 11, Cape beat Falmouth, 31-25.

Besides the teams trying to make the tournament, the final night of the regular season gives teams already in a chance to improve their rankings.

The Greely girls host No. 3 Lake Region tonight. A win by the fifth-ranked Rangers could move them to fourth.

In Eastern Class A girls, Morse will be looking to move up a spot from third to second after beating Brunswick for the second time this season Thursday night.

As is the case with all of the Heal point calculations, the results of other games will play an important outcome in the final rankings.

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com

 

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