You can't blame the members of the Seekonk High School boys' basketball team for being sick and tired of being sick and tired. The Warriors have been struck recently by a bout of pneumonia, which has sidelined three players for a substantial period of time. The latest is starting point guard Tyler Patch, who was not scheduled to play this week and who has dropped about seven pounds during his time under the weather, according to his father and SHS coach Rick Patch.

Even with the illness and strain on the team's depth, Seekonk was on the verge of writing a bit of school history.

A victory in either of their two remaining league games (Feb. 15 at Fairhaven or Feb. 20 vs. New Bedford Voc) would give the Warriors' their first-ever back-to-back outright South Coast Conference championships.

"I just think it's a great thing for the program. It's a great thing for the kids that have put in all the time and hard work," said Coach Patch.

"We come into each season wanting to win the first game then the 11th game to qualify for the (Division Three) tournament and to win a game after a loss," Patch continued. "And if possible we want to try to win the league and then do as well as we can in the state tournament."

The Warriors, losers in last year's D-Three South Sectional semifinals to Ashland, will get their chance in the playoffs soon enough.

Seekonk should be among the higher seeds in the event, which, according to the coach, is expected to have about 19 teams in its ranks.

Defending D-Three South champ Dedham returns all of its key contributors and should be a formidable and likely No. 1 seed. Ashland and Archbishop Williams are some of the other top squads, though Patch believes the difference between seeds 2-13 will be minimal.

With three games remaining on its regular slate, including the Feb. 21 finale at Bishop Connolly, Seekonk would like to close out the year on a roll and take the momentum into the postseason with as high a seed as possible.

"We want to go into these last few games with the mentality like we're in the tournament," said Patch. "These are playoff games now. Instead of just playing out the string, we want to think like we're in the tournament."

With a standout like Andrew Pereira in the post and a cast solid of role-players, the Warriors appear headed towards another deep playoff run.

Again, however, the recent pneumonia bug, which also took out Ed Medeiros and Charles Chadsey, and the loss of sixth-man Chad Trial for a couple of games due to team rules violations have put a strain on the remaining Warriors.

It's also taken the locals out of their rhythm and routine. Patch hopes to have his entire team back at least in time to have some good practice sessions and maybe a scrimmage in preparation for the tourney.

"Not to make excuses, but we've had guys 1-8 that have either not been healthy or have been banged up for like the last six or seven games," said Patch. "It would be nice to hit the tournament healthy and ready to go. We're going to need everybody come the postseason because of the stress of the tournament and because of playing just about every other night."

Almost every night to date in the 2005-06 season Coach Patch could rely on Pereira and the younger Patch to give the Warriors a hearty 1-2 punch along with key, though often unnoticed, aid from others. Of late, John Thompson has raised his game to that level, giving Seekonk yet another option.

"Our depth is the strength of our team," said the coach.

A happy and healthy Seekonk contingent, focused and ready to play, has the ability to possibly make even more noise in this year's postseason.

"We need a little more consistency on offense. Defensively, we've really come together," said Coach Patch. "We're optimistic, but cautiously optimistic. There are a lot of good teams in Division Three. If we play to our capabilities on offense and defense, we'll be solid."BY MIKE REGO

mrego@eastbaynewspapers.com