State girls basketball: Five games to watch, predictions
STATE REGIONALS — GAMES TO WATCH
CLASS 4A
ROGERS RAMS (18-7) VS. NO. 10 TODD BEAMER TITANS (20-6)
Noon, Saturday at Puyallup HS
About the Rams: Coach Amy Looker has led Rogers to back-to-back state appearances. But the Rams’ past two trips to this regional round haven’t resulted in ensuing trips to the Tacoma Dome, losing last season to eventual state champion Central Valley. Senior forward Jessi Westering (13.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and freshman guard Raigan Barrett (11.9 ppg, 3.0 apg) hope to lift Rogers to its first state tournament victory in nine appearances, last winning in a consolation game in the 1994-95 tournament.
About the Titans: Japhera McEachin (12.7 ppg) is tasked with a lot of responsibility in the Titans’ backcourt, especially in breaking presses and getting the ball up the floor — even though she’s more of a natural shooting guard. But if Beamer plans on reaching the Tacoma Dome for the third consecutive year, it will need its twin towers — 6-foot-2 Darion Brown (12.1 ppg) and 6-1 Makenzie Bond (13.1 ppg) to control the paint.
TNT pick: Todd Beamer, 62-50.
NO. 4 BELLARMINE PREP (23-1) VS. NO. 3 GLACIER PEAK GRIZZLIES (21-1)
4 p.m. Saturday at Jackson HS (Mill Creek)
About the Lions: Want to talk about defense? How about the Lions limiting their opponents to 37.9 points per game? They held Union to 15 points in the opening round of the 4A West Central District tournament and Camas to 36 in the title game. Arizona commit Shalyse Smith (16.2 ppg, 11.4 rpg) always brings her relentless motor, but don’t sleep on young guards Reyelle Frazier (9.9 ppg, 2.7 spg), Jenny Hagle (7.1 ppg) and Madeline Garcia (6.9 ppg).
About the Grizzlies: This is a battle of Bellarmine’s young guns and Glacier Peak’s veterans. The Grizzlies started the season with a loss, but since have rattled off 21 consecutive victories. They’ve done so with a talented trio of seniors — Weber State commit Kayla Watkins (17 ppg, 10.8 rpg), BYU commit Paisley Johnson (15.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.7 apg) and Arizona commit Sam Fatkin (14.6 ppg, 7.5 apg).
TNT pick: Bellarmine Prep, 52-50.
CLASS 3A
NO. 8 GIG HARBOR TIDES (20-3) VS. NO. 2 KAMIAKIN BRAVES (22-1)
2 p.m. Saturday at Puyallup HS
About the Tides: Winning the 3A South Sound Conference title was one thing. Cruising past Wilson, Bethel and Prairie for a district title was another. The Tides are riding a 14-game win streak behind a talented young guard-post combo of sophomore Brynna Maxwell (17 ppg, 8 rpg, 5 spg) and Maddie Willett (15 ppg, 6 rpg), who can step out and hit from distance. The Tides haven’t won a state tournament game since 2006.
About the Braves: How talented is 6-foot sophomore guard Oumou Toure? She’s closing in on 1,000 points for her career (939), and she still has two years to go. She averaged a Mid-Columbia Conference-best 22.4 points per game to earn the league’s MVP award, and was the co-defensive player of the year with teammate Alexa Hazel (14.3 ppg). Toure led the Braves on one trip to the state semifinals already as a freshman, and a win Saturday will send them to the quarterfinals.
TNT pick: Kamiakin, 60-54.
BETHEL BRAVES (19-5) VS. WILSON RAMS (16-9)
6 p.m. Saturday at Rogers HS
About the Braves: One of the few flaws in Tianna Brown’s game the past three years is that she doesn’t take enough shots. Coach John Ainslee would like her taking 25 shots per game but is happy when she takes even 15. Brown was the two-time MVP of the 4A SPSL in her first two years of high school, and in her first year in the 3A PCL she has averaged 18.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.7 steals while shooting 40 percent from the 3-point line.
About the Rams: It’s one last ride for star point guard Josie Matz. The Portland signee has done it all this year for the Rams, earning 3A PCL MVP honors while averaging 22.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.5 steals. She is the first Wilson player — boy or girl — to have scored at least 1,600 points and have more than 500 assists in a career. But Wilson has been rolling lately because Kiara McMillan and Hope Lalau-Bryd have also been hitting their stride.
TNT pick: Wilson, 55-54.
CLASS 1B
NO. 1 TACOMA BAPTIST CRUSADERS (23-0) VS. NO. 5 CEDAR PARK CHRISTIAN (21-2)
8 p.m. Friday at Mountlake Terrace HS
About the Crusaders: First the football team, now the girls basketball team? Just like the boys on the gridiron, the girls on the hardwood enter the state tournament undefeated. Not bad for their first year in the 1B classification. Junior Brooklyn Pascua has been the steady force in the backcourt, averaging 17.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and four steals per game as the Crusaders hope to win their first state tournament game since 2012.
About the Lions: Like the Crusaders, the Lions also feature a stout defense. They’ve given up 23 points per game. Offensively, expect Tacoma Baptist to double-team Salome Yosef, who has seen those all season. She had 17 points and nine rebounds in a district-title win over Rainier Christian, with Jamie Copeland adding 10 points and 10 rebounds.
TNT pick: Tacoma Baptist, 45-44.
Christian Bond: cbond@thenewstribune.com
The top eight teams in the WIAA’s RPI rankings that qualified for the state tournament play in a winner-to-quarterfinals, loser-to-first round game in the regional round of state.
The 9-16 teams that qualified for state play in a winner-to-first round, loser-out game. Schools have to have qualified to state through their district tournament. Here are the regional round matchups:
*Rankings from The News Tribune’s final update
CLASS 4A
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
Winner to first round, loser out
6 p.m.: Curtis (18-7) vs. Eastlake (15-6), at Bothell
6 p.m.: Kamiak (16-8) vs. No. 8 Auburn Riverside (20-6), at Rogers
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
Winner to quarterfinals, loser to first round
4 p.m.: Camas (16-7) vs. No. 9 Kentlake (22-4), at Rogers
4 p.m.: No. 6 Kentridge (22-4) vs. No. 5 Moses Lake (19-3), at Big Bend CC
4 p.m.: No. 4 Bellarmine Prep (23-1) vs. No. 3 Glacier Peak (21-1), at Jackson
6 p.m.: No. 1 Central Valley (23-0) vs. No. 2 Sunnyside (18-2), at Richland
Winner to first round, loser out
Noon: Rogers (18-7) vs. No. 10 Todd Beamer (20-6), at Puyallup
2 p.m.: Chiawana (19-6) vs. Woodinville (18-4), at Bothell
CLASS 3A
TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE
Play in: Kamiakin 76, Garfield 54
Play in: No. 9 Mt. Spokane 69, Rainier Beach 58
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
Winner to quarterfinals, loser to first round
6 p.m.: No. 7 Lincoln (17-5) vs. Snohomish (15-6), at Puyallup
8 p.m.: No. 1 Bishop Blanchet (22-1) vs. No. 4 Mercer Island (21-5), at Bothell
Winner to first round, loser out
8 p.m.: Seattle Prep (16-7) vs. No. 3 Prairie (19-3), at Bellevue College
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
Winner to quarterfinals, loser to first round
2 p.m.: No. 8 Gig Harbor (18-3) vs. No. 2 Kamiakin (22-1), at Puyallup
6 p.m.: No. 6 Bellevue (21-3) vs. Stanwood (19-4), at Bellevue College
Winner to first round, loser out
Noon: West Seattle (19-7) vs. Edmonds-Woodway (15-6), at Bellevue College
6 p.m.: Bethel (19-5) vs. vs. Wilson (16-9), at Rogers
6 p.m.: No. 5 Lynnwood (19-4) vs. No. 9 Mt. Spokane (19-5), at Bothell
CLASS 2A
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
Winner to quarterfinals, loser to first round
6 p.m.: No. 4 Wapato (19-2) vs. No. 2 W.F. West (18-4), at Tumwater
Winner to first round, loser out
6 p.m.: East Valley of Yakima (15-8) vs. No. 10 North Kitsap (18-5), at Mount Tahoma
8 p.m.: Franklin Pierce (15-9) vs. No. 5 Prosser (18-4), at Chiawana
8 p.m.: Olympic (17-6) vs. Renton (15-6), at Mount Tahoma
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
Winner to quarterfinals, loser to first round
2 p.m.: No. 9 Washougal (14-4) vs. No. 3 White River (22-2), at Rogers
2:30 p.m.: No. 7 Archbishop Murphy (18-3) vs. No. 1 Black Hills (22-1), at St. Martin’s University
6 p.m.: No. 6 Burlington-Edison (15-6) vs. No. 8 Lynden (17-5), at Mount Vernon
Winner to first round, loser out
4 p.m.: Port Angeles (13-9) vs. East Valley of Spokane (15-6), at University HS
CLASS 1A
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
Winner to quarterfinals, loser to first round
6 p.m.: Bellevue Christian (18-5) vs. No. 7 Granger (21-2), at Davis
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
Winner to quarterfinals, loser to first round
2 p.m.: No. 6 La Center (20-0) vs. No. 2 Lynden Christian (21-1), at Mount Vernon
4 p.m.: No. 4 Montesano (19-4) vs. No. 3 Okanogan (19-4), at Wenatchee
6 p.m.: No. 8 Mount Baker (16-3) vs. No. 1 Cashmere (22-0), at Wenatchee
Winner to first round, loser out
4 p.m.: Elma (11-8) vs. No. 9 Zillah (19-4), at Davis
4 p.m.: Seattle Christian (17-2) vs. No. 5 Columbia of Burbank (22-1), at Chiawana
6 p.m.: La Salle (10-11) vs. No. 10 Medical Lake (20-2), at Cheney
4 p.m.: Meridian (15-7) vs. Seattle Academy (17-2), at Mountlake Terrace
CLASS 2B
Winner to quarterfinals, loser to first round
6 p.m.: No. 3 St. George’s (21-2) vs. No. 5 Kalama (21-3), at Mark Morris
Winner to first round, loser out
8 p.m.: White Swan (13-7) vs. Brewster (17-4), at Wenatchee
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
Winner to quarterfinals, loser to first round
4 p.m.: No. 7 Colfax (18-6) vs. No. 2 Dayton (19-2), at Richland
4 p.m.: Davenport (19-4) vs. No. 1 Wahkiakum (21-1), at Mark Morris
Noon: No. 4 Ilwaco (21-4) vs. No. 9 Raymond (21-5), at W.F. West
Winner to first round, loser out
2 p.m.: Friday Harbor (9-12) vs. Mabton (15-6), at Davis
4 p.m. :Napavine (15-10) vs. No. 10 Adna (23-4), at W.F. West
8 p.m.: Walla Walla Valley Academy (17-7) vs. No. 8 La Conner (20-2), at Mount Vernon
CLASS 1B
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
Winner to quarterfinals, loser to first round
6 p.m.: Selkirk (20-4) vs. No. 3 Colton (20-2), at Cheney
8 p.m.: Almira-Coulee/Hartline (18-3) vs. No. 2 Republic (20-1), at University HS
8 p.m.: No. 1 Tacoma Baptist (23-0) vs. No. 5 Cedar Park Christian of Mount Lake Terrace (21-2), at Mountlake Terrace
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
Winner to quarterfinals, loser to first round
2 p.m.: Evergreen Lutheran (17-6) vs. No. 4 Oakesdale (19-5), at Cheney
Winner to first round, loser out
Noon: Taholah (13-8) vs. Sunnyside Christian (20-3), at Chiawana
Noon: Naselle (16-6) vs. Neah Bay (18-3), at Mount Tahoma
Noon: Yakama Tribal (11-7) vs. Entiat (18-2), at Wenatchee
Noon: Clallam Bay (15-5) vs. Tulalip Heritage (16-5), at Jackson
tcotterill@thenewstribune.com
This story was originally published February 23, 2017 at 7:40 PM with the headline "State girls basketball: Five games to watch, predictions."