After losing to Valley Catholic twice in the regular season, the Seaside girls basketball team showed how to take advantage of the league playoff system Saturday in Beaverton.

In the only game that mattered between the Valiants (12-13) and Lady Gulls (13-12), the Gulls won, 38-35, ending Valley Catholic’s season, and sending Seaside on the Regional play-in round.

The Gulls will play one more seeding game, Monday night, 5:30 p.m. at Astoria. Even with a loss, Seaside’s RPI rating should be good enough for a spot in the regional play-in round later this week.

Seaside coach Mike Hawes called Saturday’s contest, “a close game all the way, in which we seemed to keep a slim lead most of the way,” before Valley Catholic forced a tie at 35-35 with a minute remaining.

Seaside’s Emy Kiser made 1-of-2 free throws for a 36-35 lead, and Kiser was fouled again with eight seconds left and made both free throws.

Ruby Douglas led the Gulls with 15 points, eight in the fourth quarter. In addition, “we really turned the game to Lilli (Taylor) and just created off her,” Hawes said, and Taylor responded with 11 points and 10 rebounds.