PORTAL — The Portal Panthers storm into tonight’s Sweet Sixteen matchup against Marion County with a team that has accomplished plenty. The Panthers have racked up 63 wins and a pair of Region 3-A titles over the last three seasons, but everyone on the roster is still looking for a state playoff win that has eluded them thus far.
    Two seasons ago, Portal dropped a heartbreaker at home against Pelham. Last year, the Panthers entered the postseason as a No. 1 seed, but were shocked by Central Talbotton in the first round.
    “I don’t think that we need to remind any of our guys about our recent history,” Portal coach Jeff Brannen said. “Our guys are pretty hungry to get over that hump. We’ve got guys who were starting as freshmen and sophomores who had to go through those losses. Now they’re leading the team as upperclassmen and want to get that win.”
    In addition to holding the home court advantage, Portal (20-7) holds a No. 3 overall seed in the Class A public school bracket and figures to be a favorite over the 14th seeded Eagles (15-8).
    Despite getting their first state playoff game underway tonight, the Panthers are already a step closer to a state championship than they have been in the last few years. With this season’s split between the public and private schools in Class A, each group’s state playoff bracket starts with just 16 teams instead of the 32 that make the field in all other classifications.
    With one big step taken before Portal sets foot on the court, spirits have been running high.
    “That’s definitely the cause of some excitement for our guys,” Brannen said. “Normally you start the state playoffs and see that big bracket. The end seems a long ways off. This year, we know that it’s just going to take a few wins to be playing for a title.”
    But everything will have to start with Marion County, a team that should match up fairly well with the Panthers.
    Since the official bracket was released on Wednesday afternoon, Brannen and his coaching staff have had very little time to prepare for an unfamiliar opponent. From the information that Brannen has gathered on the Eagles, he believes that they are a similar team to Portal in size, speed, and in their overall approach to games.
    All eyes will likely turn to the main scoring options for both teams as Portal’s Stacy Morgan and Marion County’s Lorenzo Smothers are both threats to explode for big nights without warning.
    With the progression of Shawn Hagins and Marquise Wells handling the ball, Morgan has been freed up to roam the perimeter and drive for points, as evidenced by his surpassing of the 1,000-point mark midway through his junior year this season.
    Though just a freshman, Smothers has looked like a grizzled veteran in averaging 18 points per game.
    The Eagles have the ability to pull the upset, but that young talent can give in to inexperience under the bright lights of the state playoffs — a fact that Portal learned the hard way over the last two seasons.
    “We’ve put those losses behind us, but it’s definitely still a motivating factor,” Brannen said. “We’ve been here before and I think that everyone now realizes what it’s going to take if we want to keep advancing.”

    Mike Anthony may be reached at (912) 489-9404.