Hot Tickets: GP hosting talent-laden girls hoops tourney
Published 1:30 am Monday, December 23, 2019
Five high school sports events to keep an eye on this week:
Girls basketball: Top of the Peak Tournament, Friday-Saturday and Monday, Dec. 30 at Glacier Peak H.S. Hosted by Glacier Peak, this second-annual holiday tournament once again features some of the state’s top teams. This year’s field has seven Class 4A or 3A state qualifiers from last season, including four top-four state finishers. The Grizzlies, who placed fourth in the 4A state tournament, open with a quarterfinal matchup against 3A state runner-up Mt. Spokane at 4:30 p.m. Friday. With a win, Glacier Peak would advance to face either defending 4A state champion Eastlake or 4A third-place Kentridge in a semifinal clash at 6:15 p.m. Saturday. The championship game is slated for 3:15 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30.
Boys basketball: Mariner at Mountlake Terrace, 6:30 p.m. Saturday. This Mountlake Terrace Holiday Tournament contest features possibly two of the area’s top teams. Mariner, picked second in the Wesco 4A coaches poll, is off to a 5-1 start. Mountlake Terrace, picked second in the Wesco 3A/2A coaches poll, is 4-0.
Boys basketball: Glacier Peak vs. De La Salle North Catholic (Oregon), 3 p.m. Friday at Lynden H.S. Wesco 4A favorite Glacier Peak heads north to face an Oregon powerhouse as part of the Cloud 9 Christmas Classic in Lynden. De La Salle, a Portland private school, is coming off back-to-back Oregon 3A state titles and has reached its classification’s state championship game five of the past six seasons. After this matchup, Glacier Peak turns around to play 1A power Lynden Christian at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Girls basketball: Snohomish at Lake Stevens, 7:15 p.m. Saturday. Wesco 4A title contender Lake Stevens faces perennial Wesco 3A/2A power Snohomish, which placed fourth in last season’s 3A state tournament. Don’t be fooled by Snohomish’s 2-5 record — the Panthers have faced an arduous non-league schedule, and they held a second-half lead over defending Wesco 4A champion Glacier Peak earlier this month. Lake Stevens, which has scored 67.5 points per game during an impressive 4-0 start, looks to avenge last year’s 65-44 loss to Snohomish.
Boys basketball: Marysville Pilchuck at Lynden, 7:15 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30. Wesco 3A/2A favorite Marysville Pilchuck travels north for a non-league clash against two-time defending 2A state champion Lynden. The Tomahawks fell 80-46 to Lynden last December before rattling off 19 consecutive wins to reach the 3A state quarterfinals.
