State basketball preview: Capsules for all local boys games

Below are capsules for Friday’s and Saturday’s high school basketball state regional games involving local boys teams.

The numbers indicate each team’s seeding among the 16 teams that qualified for regional play in that classification.

Regional games involving seeds 1-8 are non-elimination contests, with both teams advancing 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). The reward for winning a non-elimination regional game is a bye into the state quarterfinals.

Seeds 9-16 play loser-out regional contests, with the winners advancing to the first round of their respective Hardwood Classics.

The losers of the seed 1-8 regional games face the winners of the 9-16 regional games in first-round Hardwood Classic matchups next Wednesday. The winners of those first-round contests advance to next Thursday’s state quarterfinals.

Capsules for state regional games involving local girls teams will be in Friday’s edition of The Herald.

CLASS 4A

No. 2 Glacier Peak vs. No. 7 Auburn

When: 6 p.m., Saturday

Where: Jackson H.S.

Records: Glacier Peak 23-0; Auburn 23-5

Implications: Winner to quarterfinals; loser to first round

About the Grizzlies: Glacier Peak is one of just two unbeatens in the 4A state field, with top-seeded Union being the other. The Grizzlies outscore opponents by a whopping 23.3 points per game and have won all but five contests by double digits. Glacier Peak once again features a smothering defense, which allows just 44.8 points per game and has held opponents under 50 points in 16 of 23 contests. Tucker Molina, Brayden Quantrille and Bobby Siebers also lead a balanced scoring attack that averages 68.1 points per game. Coming off their third Wesco 4A title in four years, the Grizzlies won the 4A Wes-King Bi-District Tournament and clinched their fourth consecutive Hardwood Classic berth.

About the Trojans: Auburn captured the North Puget Sound League title after beating Federal Way in an Olympic Division tiebreaker contest and Kentwood in the league championship game. The youth-laden Trojans are 4-3 against teams in the 4A state field, including 2-2 against fifth-seeded perennial power Federal Way. Auburn averages 67.8 points per game and allows just 48.9. The Trojans are making their first state regional appearance since 2013 and have clinched their first Hardwood Classic berth since 2010.

No. 11 Skyview vs. No. 14 Jackson

When: 4 p.m., Saturday

Where: Battle Ground H.S.

Records: Skyview 17-9; Jackson 15-10

Implications: Winner to first round; loser out

Recent history: Skyview earned a 65-58 road win over Jackson in a Dec. 7 non-league game.

About the Storm: After making its first-ever state appearance in 2018, Skyview is back in the state regionals for the second time in three seasons. The Storm punched their ticket in dramatic fashion, making a last-second basket in overtime to beat Mount Rainier in a winner-to-state, loser-out bi-district tournament game last week. Skyview gave unbeaten Union one of its toughest tests of the season, taking the top-seeded Titans to overtime in their regular-season finale. The Storm are led by Northwest Nazarene University-bound senior forward Kyle Gruhler, who averages 20.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.

About the Timberwolves: Despite graduating four of its top five scorers from last year’s Wesco 4A championship team, Jackson is back in the state regionals for the second consecutive season after winning three elimination games in eight days. The Timberwolves began their postseason run by winning a 4A Wes-King Bi-District Tournament play-in contest. Then after a two-point loss to Skyline in the bi-district quarterfinals, Jackson earned back-to-back narrow elimination-game victories over Redmond and Woodinville to reach state. Talented 6-foot-7 senior wing Jaylen Searles averages 18.5 points per game for the Timberwolves, who are seeking a return trip to the Hardwood Classic.

CLASS 3A

No. 3 Marysville Pilchuck vs. No. 6 Kamiakin

When: 2 p.m., Saturday

Where: Jackson H.S.

Records: Marysville Pilchuck 21-2; Kamiakin 19-3

Implications: Winner to quarterfinals; loser to first round

About the Tomahawks: Despite graduating superstar RaeQuan Battle from last year’s historic fourth-place state team, Marysville Pilchuck went unbeaten in Wesco 3A/2A for the second straight season and claimed its third consecutive 3A Northwest District Tournament title. Cameron Stordahl averages approximately 20 points per game for the senior-laden and ultra-experienced Tomahawks, who net 67.5 points per contest and have four scorers averaging in double figures. Marysville Pilchuck has won 15 straight games and clinched its second consecutive Hardwood Classic appearance. The Tomahawks’ two losses — to Mercer Island and 2A top-seeded Lynden — came by a combined five points.

About the Braves: Kamiakin beat reigning 3A state runner-up Mt. Spokane in the 3A Greater Spokane District title game last week and has clinched its first Hardwood Classic berth since 2012. The Braves are led by 6-foot-9 forward Kyson Rose, who averages 19.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. The Central Washington University signee scored a school-record 46 points in a rout of Hanford last month, leading his team to a season-high 93 points. Kamiakin averages 71.5 points per game and has scored at least 80 points four times.

No. 11 Shorecrest vs. No. 14 Central Kitsap

When: 4 p.m., Saturday

Where: Issaquah H.S.

Records: Shorecrest 18-5; Central Kitsap 17-8

Implications: Winner to first round; loser out

About the Scots: After an 8-4 start, Shorecrest rattled off a 10-game win streak to reach the 3A Northwest District Tournament title game and earned its fifth state regional berth in seven years. The Scots finished tied for third in the 15-team Wesco 3A/2A.

About the Cougars: Central Kitsap is making its first state appearance since 2004 and just its second in the past 49 seasons. The Cougars won back-to-back district elimination games to reach the state regionals, beating Prairie and then rallying from a 12-point second-half deficit to edge Capital. Senior guard Colby White leads Central Kitsap with 19.0 points and 3.4 assists per game.

No. 10 Mount Tahoma vs. No. 15 Marysville Getchell

When: 6 p.m., Friday

Where: Puyallup H.S.

Records: Mount Tahoma 18-6; Marysville Getchell 16-8

Implications: Winner to first round; loser out

About the Thunderbirds: Just two years removed from a 1-19 season, Mount Tahoma advanced to state for the first time since 2006. The Thunderbirds clinched their state regional berth in dramatic fashion, rallying from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Gig Harbor on a buzzer-beater in a district quarterfinal. Asjon Anderson, a sophomore, averages a team-high 17.8 points per game.

About the Chargers: Marysville Getchell is making the first state regional appearance in its program’s nine-year history. After a district quarterfinal loss to Shorecrest, the Chargers won three consecutive loser-out games over Arlington, Edmonds-Woodway and Meadowdale to earn their historic state berth. Do-everything point guard Malakhi Knight, an Oregon State University baseball commit, averages a team-high 26 points per game. The talented junior scored 41 points in the loser-out game against Arlington, including 21 during Marysville Getchell’s fourth-quarter comeback.

CLASS 2A

No. 1 Lynden vs. No. 8 Mountlake Terrace

When: noon, Saturday

Where: Mount Vernon H.S.

Records: Lynden 21-2; Mountlake Terrace 18-6

Implications: Winner to quarterfinals; loser to first round

Recent history: Lynden beat Mountlake Terrace 58-49 in a 2A Northwest/Sea-King Bi-District Tournament semifinal game last Tuesday.

About the Lions: Despite graduating 10 seniors from last year, two-time defending state champion Lynden enters as the 2A state tournament’s top seed for the fourth consecutive season. The perennial power Lions average 68.6 points per game and have scored at least 80 points five times. Lynden beat Wesco 3A/2A champion Marysville Pilchuck — the No. 3 seed in 3A — in a non-league matchup and is coming off its second consecutive 2A Northwest/Sea-King Bi-District Tournament title. In their win over Mountlake Terrace last week, 6-foot-11 center Liam Hanenburg and Brock Heppner led the Lions with 16 points apiece. Lynden has earned seven top-three state trophies in the past eight seasons, including three state titles.

About the Hawks: After falling to Lynden in the bi-district tournament semifinals, Mountlake Terrace beat Liberty-Issaquah and Anacortes in back-to-back elimination games to reach the state regionals for the eighth time in the past 10 seasons. The Hawks once again feature a stingy defense, which allows just 51 points per game and has held opponents to less than 60 points in all but three contests. Jace Breakfield, Robbie Baringer, Jeffrey Anyimah, Mason Christianson and Muhammed Kinteh each average more than eight points per game to lead a very balanced Mountlake Terrace scoring attack.

No. 12 Lakewood vs. No. 13 Franklin Pierce

When: 10 a.m., Saturday

Where: Mount Vernon H.S.

Records: Lakewood 14-9; Franklin Pierce 19-8

Implications: Winner to first round; loser out

About the Cougars: Coached by former Lakewood standout Anthony Wiederkehr, the Cougars are making their first-ever state appearance. After finishing fourth in the talent-laden Northwest Conference, Lakewood upset top-seeded Burlington-Edison in the 2A Northwest/Sea-King Bi-District Tournament semifinals to clinch its historic state berth. Alex Jensen leads a high-scoring Lakewood attack that averages 68.9 points per game and has topped 80 points seven times. The four-year starting point guard, who surpassed Wiederkehr for the school’s career scoring record earlier this season, nets approximately 18 points per contest.

About the Cardinals: After an eight-year gap between state appearances, Franklin Pierce is back in the state regionals for the second consecutive season. The Cardinals started the year 14-3, then lost five of their next seven games before winning back-to-back district elimination contests to reach state. Four of their eight losses were to league rival White River, the No. 5 seed in the 2A state field.

CLASS 1A

No. 11 Deer Park vs. No. 14 King’s

When: 6 p.m., Friday

Where: West Valley H.S. (Spokane Valley)

Records: Deer Park 16-6; King’s 14-10

Implications: Winner to first round; loser out

About the Stags: After finishing second in the Northeast 1A League, Deer Park beat league champion Freeman to claim the Northeast District 1A crown. The Stags are making their second consecutive state regional appearance. Prior to last year, Deer Park had reached state only once since 2000.

About the Knights: Despite its low seed, King’s is one of the most talented teams in the 1A state field. The Knights suffered double-digit losses by virtue of an ultra-tough schedule, which included six games against higher-classification in-state teams and four games against out-of-state squads during an Arizona holiday tournament. King’s went 12-2 against 1A teams and hung with a pair of 4A state-title contenders in a pair of single-digit losses to Glacier Peak and Mount Si. The Knights feature a Division-I college recruit in 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Tyler Linhardt, who has an offer from Boise State University, according to prephoops.com. King’s is making its 15th consecutive state appearance and its 21st in the past 22 seasons. The Knights have claimed six top-three state trophies in the past seven years.

CLASS 2B

No. 12 Kettle Falls vs. No. 13 Darrington

When: 4 p.m., Saturday

Where: Mt. Spokane H.S.

Records: Kettle Falls 16-9; Darrington 17-6

Implications: Winner to first round; loser out

About the Bulldogs: Kettle Falls is making its first state appearance since 2003 and just its third in the past 48 seasons. The Bulldogs are led by senior point guard Matthew Thompson, who averages 18.8 points per game.

About the Loggers: Darrington is making its first state appearance since 2008. It’s been a massive turnaround for the Loggers, who prior to last year hadn’t won more than four games in a season since 2008-09. After splitting the Northwest 2B/1B League title with Friday Harbor, Darrington suffered a one-point loss to Friday Harbor in their tri-district championship game. The Loggers then rebounded to reach state with a two-point win over Auburn Adventist in a loser-out contest. Bashaun Williams, Caleb Rivera and Brevin Ross average double-digit scoring to lead Darrington.