Class 3A boys tournament preview

At Hutchinson Sports Arena

Thursday’s quarterfinals

3 P.M.: BELLE PLAINE VS. GALENA

No. 7 Belle Plaine (15-8) — For the first time since 2006 and just the second time in the last 30 years, Belle Plaine is playing in the state tournament. Belle Plaine is 8-1 in games decided by six points or less, while it has yet to lose a game when it has scored more than 60 points (10-0). Sophomore guard Bo Gooch (20 points) has had a breakout season, including 65 made threes on 46-percent shooting beyond the arc. Peyton Nolan (10.6) and Cole Osgood (10.0) are other double-digit scorers.

No. 2 Galena (20-3) — This will be the first state experience for Galena since 2010. Galena is 13-1 with an average margin of victory of 29.2 points when it scores at least 60 points, while it is 7-2 when it doesn’t with an average margin of victory of 7 points. Galena is led by the guard combo of 6-3 junior Garrett Hall (19.1 points) and 6-1 senior PJ Sarwinski (16.2 points).

4:45 P.M.: SILVER LAKE VS. MARYSVILLE

No. 6 Silver Lake (17-6) — For just the second time in the last two decades and first time since taking fourth in 2013, Silver Lake is playing in the state tournament. Silver Lake has only one senior on the team, as Ryan Wagner (4.4 assists) has become the glue player. Mason Griffin (18.2 points) leads the team in scoring, while Keenan Baird (8.1) is the top rebounder.

No. 3 Marysville (19-4) — This will be the first state experience for every player on Marysville, as it one of three ranked teams that qualified in the field. Defense is key for Marysville, which is allowing an average of 43.9 points, as it is 17-0 in games when holds its opponent under 50 points and 2-4 when it doesn’t. Junior guard Gabe Pieschl accounts for nearly 40 percent of the team’s offense, as he averages 20.7 points on 47-percent shooting.

6:30 P.M.: CHENEY VS. NORTON

No. 8 Cheney (14-9) — Cheney defeated No. 2-ranked Hesston by 13 and an 18-win Conway Springs team by nine in its sub-state to advance to the state tournament for the second time in the last three seasons. Cheney is looking for its first victory at state since 1990, as it has won its last five games by an average margin of 14.8. Lakin Petz (11.1) is the team’s leading scorer, while Trey Patterson (9.3) and Trent Scheer (8.5) have also become reliable scorers for Cheney.

No. 1 Norton (21-2) — Norton returns to the state tournament after losing in the quarterfinals last season with a nucleus of Landon Porter (18.7 points), Tyus Henson (14.8), and Jace Ruder (12.3 points, 8.3 rebounds) all back. Norton is holding opponents to 42.3 points and has allowed more than 50 points just twice in 23 games. Since its last loss on Feb. 3, Norton has won its last eight games by an average margin of 21 points.

8:15 P.M.: HUGOTON VS. SE-SALINE

No. 5 Hugoton (17-6) — Back for the second straight year after losing to Collegiate in the 4A-II championship last season, Hugoton has been powered by a trio of returners in seniors Zack Leininger (12.2 points, 7.1 rebounds), Colby Korf (10.6 points), and Anthony Kinser (10.0 points). Few teams can match up with the size of Hugoton with Leininger (6-5), Korf (6-5), and Kinser (6-9). Hugoton has gone the way its defense has this season, as it has won every time it has held opponents to 55 points or less (17-0) and lost every time it doesn’t (0-6).

No. 4 SE-Saline (18-5) — After graduating two of its three top scorers from last season’s third-place team, SE-Saline is back at the state tournament. Guard Jackson Montgomery has had a scoring breakthrough in his senior year, as he leads the team with 20.3 points and 50 three-pointers made. Since losing four of five games in late January, SE-Saline has ended the season on an eight-game winning streak.

Friday’s semifinals

Silver Lake-Marysville winner vs. Belle Plaine-Galena winner, 4:45 p.m.

Hugoton-SE-Saline winner vs. Cheney-Norton winner, 8:15

Saturday’s finals

Third-place game, 2 p.m.

Championship, 6:15

Taylor Eldridge’s pick

Norton over Galena

This story was originally published March 7, 2017 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Class 3A boys tournament preview."