High school boys basketball preview: The top teams, players in the South Sound in 2021
Questions about whether or not high school basketball would be played across Washington loomed earlier this year with the COVID-19 pandemic limiting indoor sporting events, but boys and girls programs around the South Sound have officially opened their seasons — and there is a lot to be excited about.
Similar to the first two seasons this spring — which included traditional fall and spring sports — traditional winter seasons will be condensed without state playoffs, though most leagues still plan to decide their champions in small postseason formats.
The Class 4A and 3A North Puget Sound Leagues begin play next week. The 4A South Puget Sound League and 3A Pierce County League are already underway, and returned to home gyms this week after opening their seasons on recently built courts at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup. The 2A South Puget Sound League comes home next week after opening its schedule at the Northwest Sports Hub in Centralia, while the 3A South Sound Conference and 2A Evergreen Conference have also opened their seasons. Schools in smaller leagues in the area are also starting up.
There will be a lot of basketball played in the coming weeks. Here is an overview of the top boys programs and players around the South Sound this spring:
THE TOP TEAMS
4A NPSL
Given the history — which includes 13 appearances in the 4A state playoffs in the past two decades, six consecutive appearances in the tournament since 2015, and five championship appearances and three titles in that span — Federal Way is always considered a contender. The Eagles advanced to the quarterfinals last season — further than any other program in the league — and though this season’s group is young, they are talented. The Eagles return a pair of sophomore wings in Isaiah Afework and Dace Pleasant from last season’s varsity group, while another sophomore wing, Vaughn Weems, could also make an impact. Kentwood is the other program still playing on the league’s 4A side that advanced to the state playoffs in 2020 and should still contend even with less depth this season. Tahoma returns most of its group from last season, and could be another contender behind junior forwards Cooper Church and Carson Talbert while Kentridge and Kennedy Catholic could also be competitive.
4A SPSL
Similar to how the league was set up during the first two high school sports seasons this spring, basketball will be broken down into two divisions. The North Division includes newcomers Gig Harbor and Peninsula — which typically play in the 3A SSC, but opted to play in Pierce County this school year — in addition to Bellarmine Prep, Curtis, South Kitsap and Sumner. The South Division includes Bethel — which has reclassified from 3A — Emerald Ridge, Graham-Kapowsin, Olympia, Puyallup and Rogers. Who will win this super league this spring? The two teams who compete for a title at season’s end could end up being two teams that battled for a trophy in the Tacoma Dome in 2020. Olympia, which topped Sumner for fourth place at the state tournament last season, could run the table in the South, while the Spartans are an early favorite in the North. The Bears seemed primed to make a convincing run in the state tournament again this season behind All-American forward Jackson Grant before the pandemic shortened the schedule. Grant, The News Tribune’s reigning All-Area player of the year, controls the rim at both ends of the floor, and averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds for Olympia last season. He is also the league’s returning MVP and looking to close out a historic career for the Bears before he heads to Washington to play for the Huskies in the fall. Emerald Ridge and Graham-Kapowsin are two more programs that could finish in the division’s top tier. Sumner is a favorite in the South with forwards Champ Spencer and Nathan Voliva — both headed to Saint Martin’s — pacing a program that has experience, depth and a lengthy zone defense. But, don’t count out perennial contender Curtis, led by sophomore guard Tyce Paulsen — a first-team 4A SPSL pick as a freshman after averaging 17.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game — which has already collected an upset win over the Spartans this season. Reigning 3A SSC champion Gig Harbor could also be competitive.
3A NPSL
This Auburn group has been commanding attention since standout point guard Maleek Arington and company were freshmen, and had this been a normal season, the Trojans — who advanced to the 4A state tournament last season — may have made a solid run in the 3A bracket at the Tacoma Dome. They should get another chance next winter, with four key juniors in Arington, Trevon Blassingame, Kaden Hansen and Dae’Kwon Watson all projected to be back, but for now expect Auburn to run the table in the 3A NPSL. The Trojans have the balance — each of the four juniors and senior Amar Rivers averaged double figures scoring in 2020 — depth and experience to sweep the league a season after winning the 4A NPSL title. Arington (13 points, 6.5 assists per game in 2020) and Blassingame (13 points, 6.7 rebounds, two assists) are both returning 4A NPSL Olympic first-teamers, and Arington is a returning TNT All-Area pick. Kent Meridian, Kentlake and Auburn Mountainview could also be in the mix in the league’s top tier.
3A PCL
Wilson ended Lincoln’s longtime reign over Tacoma Public Schools opponents last season, and swept not only the Abes, but the rest of the 3A PCL on its way to a fourth-place finish at the Tacoma Dome — the program’s best since 1998. The Rams are the favorite to top the league again this season behind two key returners in springy senior forward Jackson Dorsey (10 points, nine rebounds per game in 2020) and sophomore guard Cayden McDaniel (12 points, four rebounds, four assists), who has already picked up an offer from the hometown Huskies. Wilson has also added another scoring threat in freshman guard Tre Walker — the younger brother of Annie Wright star and Syracuse commit Julianna Walker — who already has a 30-point game on the books. But, as loaded as the Rams are, never count out crosstown rival Lincoln, which advanced to the state regionals last season. The Abes are without leading scorer Julien Simon, who enrolled early at USC to continue his standout football career, but do return experience in Parker Androy, Darius Bailey and Gabarri Johnson. Spanaway Lake and Mount Tahoma also advanced to the state regionals in 2020, and the T-Birds bring back the league’s only remaining first-team pick in junior guard Asjon Anderson, who poured in 18 points per game as a sophomore, while adding four assists and four steals.
3A SSC
This league lost some contenders this spring. Gig Harbor, which won the 3A SSC title last season, is up playing in the 4A SPSL, along with crosstown rival Peninsula. Central Kitsap, the only team from the league to advance to the state playoffs in 2020, is playing closer to home in Kitsap County. River Ridge has made the jump to 3A, while Shelton is now in the 2A EvCo, leaving Capital, North Thurston, Timberline and Yelm as the only returners from previous seasons. But, as different as this league looks this year with five schools instead of its usual eight, there is at least one consistent thread to follow — Timberline should be competitive as usual. The Blazers have advanced to the state playoffs six times in the past decade, and have reloaded again with a talented group of young guards, led by sophomore standout Brooklyn Hicks, who already has offers from several Division I schools, including Oregon State and Washington State. Hicks was a first-team 3A SSC pick as a freshman last season, leading Timberline with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists per game. Guards Miles Gurske and Tyler No are two more dynamic scoring threats for Timberline. The Blazers also have Thurston County’s all-time leading scorer on their bench. Former Timberline star Erik Stevenson, who is committed to play at South Carolina this fall, is assisting on coach Allen Thomas’ staff this spring before heading to the SEC for his fourth college season. Stevenson rewrote the record books during his four seasons at Timberline, including scoring 1,861 points in his career, which is a modern-era record in the county.
2A SPSL
White River is the preseason favorite after advancing to the 2A state quarterfinals a season ago, and returns one of the league’s most intriguing players in senior forward Wyatt Glissmeyer, a former 2A SPSL East first-teamer who helped pace the Hornets to a league title in 2020. But, this league returns a lot of talent elsewhere, too. Clover Park advanced to the state regionals last season, and brings back last year’s 2A SPSL West MVP in senior guard Raymon Martin. Franklin Pierce also played in the state regionals, and returns both Jalen Barbee, a senior guard, and John Barbee, a junior guard, who were first-teamers in the 2A SPSL East last season. Enumclaw will be a contender after dropping down to the 2A classification from the 4A NPSL ranks, and Washington is another that could compete.
2A EvCo
Crosstown rivals Tumwater and Black Hills both advanced to the 2A state quarterfinals a season ago, and the Wolves later topped the T-Birds in a consolation game on their way to an eventual fourth-place finish. Those two programs could contend for the league’s top spot this season along with a W.F. West program that includes a returning 2A EvCo first-teamer in forward Carter McCoy. The Wolves won the league last season, and return one of the 2A EvCo’s top talents in senior forward Justin Hicks, who is also a returning first-team pick. Tumwater’s young group is paced by returning senior guard Camden Oram, and their leading scorer in sophomore guard Luke Brewer.
Small schools
Life Christian advanced to the 2B state title game in 2020, losing to champion Brewster by a single point, and returns leading scorer Omari Maulana, who averaged 23 points per game a season ago. The returning TNT All-Area pick is signed to play at Biola in the fall. The Eagles jumped up in classification this season, and are now playing in the 1A Nisqually, but should still contend behind Maulana, along with returners Bradley Swillie, Chae Haynes and Daishaun Nichols. Another 1A Nisqually team, Vashon Island, advanced to the 1A state regionals in 2020. 1B SeaTac teams Muckleshoot Tribal and Tacoma Baptist advanced to the 1B state regionals last season.
30 PLAYERS TO WATCH
G/F Isaiah Afework, Federal Way, soph.
G Asjon Anderson, Mount Tahoma, jr.
G Parker Androy, Lincoln, jr.
G Maleek Arington, Auburn, jr.
G Darius Bailey, Lincoln, sr.
G Jalen Barbee, Franklin Pierce, sr.
G Trevon Blassingame, Auburn, jr.
G Luke Brewer, Tumwater, soph.
G Luke Browne, Gig Harbor, soph.
F Cooper Church, Tahoma, jr.
G Zoom Diallo, Curtis, fr.
F Jackson Dorsey, Wilson, sr.
G/F Jackson Grant, Olympia, sr.
G Jerry Hayes, Emerald Ridge, sr.
G Brooklyn Hicks, Timberline, soph.
F Justin Hicks, Black Hills, sr.
G/F Luke Holcomb, Puyallup, sr.
G Raymon Martin, Clover Park, sr.
G Omari Maulana, Life Christian, sr.
G Cayden McDaniel, Wilson, soph.
G Tyce Paulsen, Curtis, soph.
G/F Dace Pleasant, Federal Way, soph.
F Champ Spencer, Sumner, sr.
F Logan Stempniak, Kentwood, jr.
G Zack Swanson, Olympia, sr.
G Bradley Swillie, Life Christian, jr.
F Zach Toglia, Gig Harbor, sr.
F Nathan Voliva, Sumner, sr.
G Tre Walker, Wilson, fr.
G Joshua Wood, Graham-Kapowsin, jr.
This story was originally published May 20, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
