The boys basketball team defeated Chief Sealth on Thursday 55-47 to maintain their tie with Rainier Beach for the Sound Division championship.

The win guaranteed the Spartans a slot in the upper bracket of the Metro League tournament and also assured them of entry into the District 2 tournament.

Bainbridge will play Rainier Beach on Saturday at Ballard HS at 2 p.m. or 3:45 p.m. for the division championship. The winner will go to Seattle Prep, with the loser traveling to Franklin. In either case, the game will be on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Paul Weese led the Spartans with 17 points, and was the primary reason why Jordan Kidd, the Metro League’s leading scorer, scored just two free throws in the opening half as Bainbridge built a 21-12 lead.

The Spartans increased the margin to 40-19 late in the third quarter before the Seahawks began to rally. They closed to within eight points with a minute remaining but could get no closer.

Will DiIorio added 14 points for the Spartans, while Ben Eisenhardt, shackled by early foul trouble, had 10. Michael Stevenson played an outstanding floor game, filling in for Eisenhardt for much of the first half and for Ryan Burris, sidelined by an apparent foot injury, in the second half.