What to watch for in 3A, 4A state tournaments at Tacoma Dome this week
A couple of members of Sumner High School’s 1971 boys basketball team were in attendance last Friday night at Puyallup High, where Sumner defeated Kentwood in the regional round of the state tournament, 58-43, to punch their ticket to the Hardwood Classic state basketball tournament at the Tacoma Dome.
Before Friday night, that 1971 team was the last from Sumner to win a state tournament game, 49 years ago. And to make it even sweeter, this year’s Spartans team is the first to reach the state tournament in the 4A classification.
“That was cool for our town,” said fourth-year Sumner coach Jake Jackson. “To get to the Dome for the first time, that was another accomplishment.”
It’s Sumner’s first trip to the state tournament since 2014. For Jackson’s program, it’s been a steady progression. In his first season, Sumner won just five games. Then 10 games, the next year. In the third year, 12 games. This year, Sumner boasts a 19-6 record and finds themselves with a first-round matchup against defending state champion Gonzaga Prep at 9 p.m. on Wednesday.
“As far as building the culture, it was a carryover from (Jackson’s previous coaching spot, Peninsula),’” Jackson said. “(Previous Sumner coach Brett McDaniel) went to state four straight years, so they had it in place here. … But we wanted to carry that same family culture into Sumner. We wanted more accountability with everyone’s actions. We demanded a lot from our student-athletes to get us to where we are now.”
All of Sumner’s losses this season have been single-digit losses, with the exception of an 83-65 loss to state No. 1 seed Union in the West Central III/Southwest bi-district tournament semifinals on Feb. 19. While Sumner isn’t as offensively talented as a team like Union, the Spartans’ 1-2-2 zone can give opponents fits, and gives the Spartans a shot to beat anyone on any given night.
“Our zone defense has kept us in every game,” Jackson said. “We cover the three-point arc well, we’re super long. It’s hard to get into the paint against us. The way we contest with our zone, they can’t always get open looks up.”
Sumner has already made some school history, but Jackson said the Spartans aren’t just happy to be there, taking in the sights.
“I told our guys that they have to make a choice,” Jackson said. “Are you satisfied with getting to the Dome and winning our first state game in 49 years, or do you really believe we can go to the Dome and win? We’re four wins away from winning the state title. Go there and actually do what we do.”
The Class 3A and 4A tournaments will be held at the Tacoma Dome, beginning Wednesday, with championship games taking place on Saturday. Here’s are a few things to keep tabs on in this year’s tournament.
CLASS 4A BOYS
Locals competing: No. 5 Federal Way, No. 7 Auburn, No. 9 Sumner, No. 10 Olympia
BRACKET BREAKDOWN
Union (25-0) comes in as the No. 1 seed, fresh off winning the West Central III/Southwest bi-district tournament and beating defending state champion Gonzaga Prep, the tournament No. 8 seed, in the regional round, 66-64.
The Titans are an offensive juggernaut this season, with an entire starting five that can score from anywhere on the floor, led by senior 6-foot-5 guard Tanner Toolson. And the veteran-heavy squad plays defense, too, with a full-court press and a tempo that teams struggle to match. It’ll likely take a poor shooting night from Union for someone to deny the Titans the state title.
Defending champion Gonzaga Prep (18-7) takes the eighth seed into this year’s tournament and will play Sumner in the opening round. This year’s Bullpups team isn’t as strong as last year’s, with the loss of Anton Watson to Gonzaga University, but Grand Canyon commit Liam Lloyd (son of Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd) is one of the best players in the tournament. No. 2 Glacier Peak and No. 4 Mount Si have byes into the quarterfinals on the bottom of the bracket, while No. 4 Central Valley joins No. 1 Union on the top.
No. 5 Federal Way, led by forward Peter Erickson and guard Bradley Graham, have a first-round matchup with No. 12 Battle Ground, led by Gonzaga commit Kaden Perry, a 6-foot-8 center.
No. 10 Olympia will take on No. 7 Auburn in a matchup of locals on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Auburn will have to account the 1-2 punch of Olympia big man Jackson Grant, a UW commit and guard Kai Johnson, while Olympia will look to slow down Auburn’s trio of young scorers in junior Amar Rivers, sophomore Trevon Blassingame and sophomore guard Maleek Arington.
CLASS 3A BOYS
Locals competing: No. 2 Wilson, No. 14 Central Kitsap
BRACKET BREAKDOWN
To perhaps no one’s surprise, it’s all about the Metro in this year’s Class 3A state tournament. Three teams from the Metro League have byes into the quarterfinal round, with Eastside Catholic (22-3) taking the tournament’s top seed, Garfield No. 4 and O’Dea No. 7. No. 6 Kamiakin also receives a first-round bye.
Six-foot-9 power forward Paolo Banchero, a big man with offers from Kentucky, Duke, UW, Gonzaga, North Carolina and others, is the player to watch. The junior is considered a five-star recruit by 247sports.com and is widely considered one of the top players the state has produced in recent memory — maybe ever. O’Dea is coming off an 84-73 win over second-seeded Wilson in the state regional round. It’s anyone guess who wins the title this year, with Garfield, Eastside Catholic and O’Dea all finishing with 15-1 marks in the Metro and taking turns beating each other.
Garfield is led by former Federal Way standout Tari Eason, while junior guard Nolan Hickman leads Eastside Catholic. Wilson, the 3A PCL winner and West Central District III/Southwest bi-district champion, is joined by No. 14 Central Kitsap as the two locals in the tournament.
CLASS 4A GIRLS
Locals competing: No. 2 Todd Beamer, No. 8 Rogers, No. 10 Bellarmine Prep
BRACKET BREAKDOWN
It’s No. 1 Woodinville’s (26-0) tournament to lose, as the 4A KingCo squad comes into the tournament unscathed so far. The Falcons are paced by Mia Hughes and Veronica Sheffey. No. 4 Chiawana, No. 3 Central Valley and No. 7 Union also have first-round byes.
No. 2 Todd Beamer faces No. 10 Bellarmine Prep in a matchup of locals on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Beamer senior Aaliyah Alexander leads the Titans and is one of the tournament’s top players, while athletic forward Julia Bordeaux and sharp-shooting guard Callie Stevens are players to watch for Bellarmine Prep.
UW softball commit Raigan Barrett could key a run for Rogers, which nearly knocked off No. 1 Woodinville in the tournament regional round, losing 70-64 in a game that went down to the wire.
CLASS 3A GIRLS
Locals competing: No. 2 Bethel, No. 7 Lincoln, No. 12 Capital
BRACKET BREAKDOWN
Eastside Catholic (24-1) takes the No. 1 seed in this year’s tournament and is the favorite to cut down the nets at the Tacoma Dome on Saturday. The Crusaders are also remarkably young, with no juniors or seniors on the roster. Freshmen guard Malia Samuels is a special talent in her first year.
No. 9 Garfield, which plays No. 9 Kennewick in the first round at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, has perhaps the best player in the tournament in senior forward Dalayah Daniels. A win for Garfield would set up a showdown with No. 2 seeded Bethel, the best local bet to advance. The 3A PCL champs’ 1-2 punch of Tiarra Brown and Esmeralda Morales can be tough to stop once they get rolling.
