Below are capsules for this weekend’s high school basketball state regional games involving local boys teams.
The state regional round consists of 16 teams in each classification. Twelve teams in each classification advance from the regional round to next week’s Hardwood Classics in the Tacoma Dome (Class 4A and 3A), Yakima Valley SunDome (2A and 1A) or Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena (2B and 1B).
For 3A only, there was a state play-in round involving seeds 13-20 that determined the final four teams in the 16-team state regional field.
Regional games involving seeds 1-8 are non-elimination contests, with both teams advancing to the Hardwood Classic. The reward for winning a non-elimination regional game is a bye into the state quarterfinals.
The other eight seeds play in loser-out regional contests, with the winners advancing to the first round of the Hardwood Classic.
The losers of the top-eight-seed regional games face the winners of bottom-eight-seed regional games in first-round Hardwood Classic matchups next Wednesday. The winners of those first-round contests advance to next Thursday’s state quarterfinals.
NOTE: All seeding references below are to state tournament seeds.
CLASS 4A
No. 3 Union vs. No. 6 Mariner
Naser Motley and Mariner are coming off the program’s first league title in nearly two decades. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
When: 10 a.m., Saturday
Where: Battle Ground H.S.
Implications: Winner to quarterfinals; loser to first round
Records: Union 18-5, Mariner 16-8
About the Titans: After a 27-1 finish and a third-place state trophy in 2020, Union is back for its seventh consecutive state appearance. The Titans are battle-tested, with a 7-3 record against 4A and 3A state tournament teams. Three of their four in-state losses have come to 4A or 3A top-three state seeds, including a two-point defeat to unbeaten defending 4A state champion Mount Si. Union averages 67.1 points per game, led by the one-two punch of 6-foot-4 junior post Yanni Fassilis and senior guard Bryson Metz. Fassilis, a transfer from nearby Washougal, averages 19 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. Metz adds 17.8 points and 4.7 assists per contest. Last week, Metz made an acrobatic game-winning layup at the buzzer to give the Titans a third-place finish in the talent-laden 4A District 3/4 Tournament.
About the Marauders: Mariner’s once-struggling program has continued its resurgence this season, earning its first league title since 2002-03 and its first Hardwood Classic trip since 2009. The Marauders started the season 6-6 while facing a challenging non-league slate and dealing with players out of the lineup due to COVID-19 protocols. But they’ve since hit their stride, winning 10 of their past 12 games. Mariner went 7-1 in league play to claim the Wesco 4A title and then finished third in the 4A District 1/2 Tournament to secure its second state berth in the past three full-length seasons. The Marauders average 67.5 points per game behind a deep and balanced attack. Senior guard Naser Motley averages 17 points per game, senior point guard Tijan Saine adds 15 points and five assists per contest, and 6-foot-5 senior forward Dakota Joseph is a force inside with 14 points per game.
No. 10 Glacier Peak vs. No. 15 Graham-Kapowsin
Bobby Siebers and Glacier Peak are back at state once again. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
When: 6 p.m., Saturday
Where: Everett CC
Implications: Winner to first round; loser out
Records: Glacier Peak 14-6, Graham-Kapowsin 12-10
About the Grizzlies: Glacier Peak graduated nearly the entirety of its storybook 2020 team, which went 25-2 and reached the state semifinals. But the Grizzlies are back in familiar territory, making their 10th state appearance in the past 12 full-length seasons. After a second-place Wesco 4A finish, Glacier Peak overcame a pair of losses in the 4A District 1/2 Tournament and beat Skyline in a loser-out game to claim the bi-district’s fifth and final state berth. Standout 6-foot-4 senior sharpshooter Bobby Siebers, the lone remaining key contributor from the 2020 team, is the Grizzlies’ go-to scorer and has topped 30 points multiple times this season. Senior forward Torey Watkins adds a steady all-around presence and impact freshman Jo Lee complements Siebers as another talented perimeter shooting threat. Glacier Peak is also strong once again on defense, allowing just 53.6 points per game after holding Skyline to a mere 31 points in its state-clinching win.
About the Eagles: Graham-Kapowsin won back-to-back loser-out games in the talent-laden 4A District 3/4 Tournament to earn the first-ever state berth in its program’s 17-year history. And the Eagles did so in dramatic fashion, rallying from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Camas 97-95 in overtime for the state-clinching win. Graham-Kapowsin is led by senior Joshua Wood, a Fresno State-bound quarterback who starred for the Eagles’ state championship football team and earned Gatorade state player of the year honors on the gridiron. Wood scored 34 points in the comeback win over Camas and averages 15.3 points, seven rebounds and six assists per game. Junior Elijah Cain adds 13.7 points and five assists per contest, while senior Christian Ballah averages a double-double in points and rebounds.
No. 11 Olympia vs. No. 14 Jackson
After a wild up-and-down season, Drilon Veliu and Jackson are making their program’s third consecutive state appearance. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
When: 2 p.m., Saturday
Where: Tumwater H.S.
Implications: Winner to first round; loser out
Records: Olympia 22-5, Jackson 14-9
About the Bears: Two years ago, Olympia earned a fourth-place state trophy behind 6-foot-10 standout Jackson Grant. Grant, who was an McDonald’s All-American last season, has since graduated and joined the University of Washington program. But the Bears are back at state after winning the South Puget Sound League 4A South Division title and taking fifth place in the talent-laden 4A District 3/4 Tournament. In the first season of the post-Grant era, juniors Parker Gerrits and Andreas Engholm have taken the reins as Olympia’s go-to players. Gerrits, a point guard with offers from the University of Montana and the University of Portland, averaged around 18 points per game in the regular season. Engholm, a versatile 6-foot-7 forward, added around 14 points per contest. And on defense, the Bears allow just 41.4 points per game.
About the Timberwolves: It’s been a wild up-and-down season for Jackson. After going 9-1 in their non-league slate, the Timberwolves went just 2-6 in Wesco 4A play and finished fourth in the five-team league. But Jackson bounced back in the postseason. The Timberwolves went 3-2 in the 4A District 1 Tournament — including victories over league rivals and fellow 4A state top-10 seeds Mariner and Glacier Peak — to clinch their third consecutive state berth. Jackson is led by 6-foot-6 junior and double-double machine Sylas Williams, who averages 17.6 points and 14.2 rebounds per game. Senior guard Drilon Veliu adds 14.2 points per contest and seniors Bradley Tharp and Henry Armstrong also hover around double-figure scoring for Jackson, which averages 67.6 points per game.
CLASS 3A
No. 9 Mountlake Terrace vs. No. 16 Kelso
Jeffrey Anyimah and Mountlake Terrace are coming off a district title and have won 16 of their past 17 games. (Kevin Clark / The Herald )
When: 10 a.m., Saturday
Where: Jackson H.S.
Implications: Winner to first round; loser out
Records: Mountlake Terrace 17-2, Kelso 15-8
About the Hawks: Mountlake Terrace is on a roll, having won nine consecutive games and 16 of its past 17. After a 10-2 finish in Wesco 3A/2A play, the Hawks rattled off four wins in the 3A District 1 Tournament to claim their first district title in a decade. Their run to the district crown included a semifinal win over Wesco 3A/2A champion Arlington, which clinched Mountlake Terrace its 10th state berth in the past 13 full-length seasons. The Hawks have once again leaned on their stingy defense, allowing just 49.2 points per game and holding 16 of their 19 opponents to fewer than 60 points. On the offensive side, senior guard Jeffrey Anyimah and sophomore forward Zaveon Jones pace an efficient attack. Anyimah averages 14.0 points per game and scored 24 points in the state-clinching win over Arlington. Sophomore forward Zaveon Jones adds 13.3 points per contest.
About the Hilanders: Kelso is making its third state appearance in the past four full-length seasons. The Hilanders claimed the Greater St. Helen’s League 3A title with an 8-0 record in conference play. Then after closing their bi-district tournament with back-to-back losses, they rebounded with a 79-57 rout of 3A No. 17 seed Shorecrest in a state play-in game Tuesday. Sophomore wing Ethan Mitchell led Kelso with 24 points and senior wing Michael Foust added 23 points, helping the Hilanders to a season-high point total.
No. 12 Ferris vs. No. 13 Arlington
Ethan Martin led Arlington to its first league title in eight years. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
When: 4 p.m., Saturday
Where: Central Valley H.S. (Spokane Valley)
Implications: Winner to first round; loser out
Records: Ferris 16-5, Arlington 18-5
About the Saxons: Ferris, which won back-to-back 4A state titles in 2007 and 2008, is making its first state appearance since 2011. The Saxons finished as the runner-up in the 3A District 8 Tournament. They beat 3A No. 7 seed Mt. Spokane in the district semifinals to clinch a state berth, but suffered a narrow loss to 3A No. 15 seed Kennewick in the district championship game.
About the Eagles: Arlington went 13-1 in conference play to capture the Wesco 3A/2A title, which was the program’s first league championship since 2013-14. The Eagles lost to Mountlake Terrace in the 3A District 1 Tournament semifinals, but bounced back with a loser-out victory over Cascade to advance to state. Arlington then raced past 3A No. 20 seed Evergreen in a state play-in game Tuesday, led by a 35-point performance by Ethan Martin. The standout senior sharpshooter averages around 25 points per game and has scored 35-plus points three times, including a school-record 42-point performance last month. Martin’s supporting cast includes junior post David Zachman and senior guard Grayson Falk, who both hover around the double-digit scoring mark for an Eagles attack that averages 66.2 points per game.
CLASS 2A
No. 9 Lakewood vs. No. 16 Sammamish
When: 4 p.m., Saturday
Where: Everett CC
Implications: Winner to first round; loser out
Records: Lakewood 14-6, Sammamish 14-10
About the Cougars: After breaking through for the program’s first-ever state berth and Hardwood Classic trip in 2020, Lakewood is back for its second consecutive state appearance. The Cougars went 8-1 in Northwest Conference play, but dealt with a 23-day midseason layoff between games due to COVID-19 issues. Lakewood hit its stride after that and has won nine of its past 11 contests, with its only losses over that stretch being to 2A No. 2 seed Lynden. After falling to Lynden in the 3A District 1 Tournament semifinals, the Cougars rebounded with a pair of loser-out victories to claim the district’s third and final state berth. Senior Justice Taylor, who was a standout quarterback on Lakewood’s football team, averages 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game. Senior Blake Conyers adds 18 points and seven rebounds per contest, while senior forward Andrew Malloy chips in seven points and nine rebounds per game.
About the RedHawks: Just three years removed from a 1-19 season, Sammamish is headed to state for the first time since 2015 and the second time in the past two decades. The RedHawks started the season 4-8, but rebounded to win 10 of their past 12 games. Sammamish advanced to state by winning three consecutive loser-out contests in the 2A District 2/3 Tournament. The RedHawks’ state-clinching win came over KingCo 2A champion and league rival Renton, which had beaten them in each of their three previous matchups this season. Sammamish is led by junior guard Zakarie Abdulkadir, who averages 19.3 points per game and scored 27.3 points per contest during his team’s bi-district tournament run.
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