High school boys basketball: 4A state tournament bracket breakdown
The Class 4A boys basketball tournament begins Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome, playing for the first time in two seasons after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled last year’s event.
Here’s what to watch for when first-round games begin Wednesday morning.
SCHEDULE
Wednesday’s first round and Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 11 Olympia vs. No. 6 Mariner, 3:45 p.m.
Winner vs. No. 5 Tahoma, 3:45 p.m. Thursday
No. 15 Graham-Kapowsin vs. No. 7 Davis, 5:30 p.m.
Winner vs. No. 1 Mount Si, 5:30 p.m. Thursday
No. 12 Central Valley vs. No. 4 Kamiakin, 7:15 p.m.
Winner vs. No. 3 Union, 7:15 p.m. Thursday
No. 9 Federal Way vs. No. 8 Gonzaga Prep, 9 p.m.
Winner vs. No. 2 Curtis, 9 p.m. Thursday
Friday’s semifinals
7:15 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Saturday’s championship and placing games
4th/6th — 9:30 a.m.
3rd/5th — 1 p.m.
Championship — 3 p.m.
TEAM TO BEAT
Two years have passed since Mount Si lifted the 4A trophy at the Tacoma Dome, but this much hasn’t changed — the Wildcats remain one of the top teams in the state, and the favorite entering this weekend’s tournament. The undefeated 4A KingCo and 4A District 1/2 champions are averaging 76.1 points per game and have posted double-digit wins in 22 games — the only team to play the Wildcats to single digits so far this season is third-seeded Union back in December. Jabe Mullins, the tournament’s reigning MVP who led the Wildcats to their 2020 title, is now in his second season at Saint Mary’s, but Mount Si returns plenty to the Tacoma Dome this time around. Both point guard Bennett O’Connor (11.4 points, 7.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds per game) and forward and UCSD commit Quin Patterson (14.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists) have appeared in two championship games — the win two years ago as sophomores and when the Wildcats advanced to the title game against Gonzaga Prep as freshmen in 2019 — and Mount Si has even more pieces beyond the experienced seniors. Sophomore guard Trevor Hennig (16.9 points, 4 rebounds, 2.2 assists) is the Wildcats’ leading scorer — though he did not play in last weekend’s regionals win over Gonzaga Prep — while junior forward Miles Heide (15.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks) averages a double-double. Beyond Mount Si, this bracket has plenty of depth, experience and contenders. Half of the teams playing this weekend were in the state tournament in 2020, while four — Mount Si, Central Valley (runner-up), Union (third) and Olympia (fourth) — took home trophies.
SOUTH SOUND CONTENDERS
No. 2 Curtis — The Vikings, after rolling to 4A SPSL and 4A West Central/Southwest bidistrict titles and a win over No. 7 Davis in last weekend’s regionals, enter the bracket without a loss to a 4A opponent this season and on an 18-game winning streak. How have the Vikings made such an impressive run? They can turn to a handful of players for scoring production, which has them averaging nearly 70 points per game. Sophomore guard Zoom Diallo (17.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists per game), the 4A SPSL North MVP, leads the Vikings in scoring, while junior guard Tyce Paulsen (13.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.4 steals), a 4A SPSL North first-teamer, is also a key contributor. Junior guard Cinque Maxwell (14.7 points, 7.3 rebounds), sophomore guard Devin Whitten (9.4 points per game) and senior forward Trent Williams (9.3 points, 6.2 rebounds), the division’s defensive MVP, round out the program’s solid starting five. Curtis is set to return most of their group next season with eight underclassmen on the roster, and the Vikings certainly seem primed for convincing tournament runs this week and in the seasons ahead. Curtis returns to the Tacoma Dome after missing the tournament in 2020, which snapped a streak of nine consecutive appearances. The Vikings have played in five championship games in their history, including title wins in 1971 and 2013.
No. 5 Tahoma — The Bears have certainly been tested already this season given their schedule, and have already played seven of the teams in the bracket, including each of the top four seeds. They collected a road win against Oregon State commit Tyler Bilodeau — a two-time Mid-Columbia Conference MVP — and Kamiakin in last weekend’s regional round. They have also already bested both of their potential quarterfinals opponents — Mariner and Olympia — this season. Tahoma’s group has also already made history as the school’s first to advance to the state quarterfinals. This is only the third time the program has advanced to the state playoffs and second to a tournament site — Tahoma lost in the regional round in 1981, then finished winless in two games in the Tacoma Dome in 1997 — meaning the Bears will look to continue this memorable run with their first win at the state level. 4A NPSL first-team pick Carson Talbert (19 points, 8 rebounds per game), a 6-foot-7 forward, leads the way for the Bears on offense, and 6-foot-9 forward Cooper Church (9 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.5 blocks per game) can impact the game at both ends of the floor.
No. 9 Federal Way — With its balanced offensive attack and effective defensive pressure, Federal Way — like the Eagles teams of the past — figures to be a tough opponent inside the Tacoma Dome. Before posting a double-digit win over No. 16 Eastmont in last weekend’s regionals — their 14-point win was the largest margin of victory in the round — the Eagles completed an undefeated run through the 4A NPSL opponents during the regular season, and entered the postseason with four players averaging double figures scoring. Junior wing Vaughn Weems (17.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2 assists per game in the regular season), a 4A NPSL first-team pick, averages a double-double for the Eagles. Junior wing Isaiah Afework (10.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists) was the 4A NPSL defensive player of the year and another first-team pick. Junior wing Dace Pleasant (12.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists) and junior point guard DaeSean Johnson-Holiman (11.6 points, 4.6 assists) are also key contributors. Afework and Pleasant also return from the Eagles’ state tournament team in 2020, and have playing experience in the Tacoma Dome. But, perhaps most intriguing about Federal Way’s talented group? The Eagles have plenty of underclassmen, meaning their run of 4A state tournament appearances — which is currently at seven consecutive — could continue in the seasons to come. Federal Way has advanced to at least the quarterfinals in each of past six tournaments, and has made three championship game appearances and won two titles in that span. The Eagles have played for a 4A championship five times since 2008, winning the program’s three titles in 2009, 2015 and most recently 2016.
No. 11 Olympia — Two years ago, the Bears posted their best finish in nearly a decade when they placed fourth at the 2020 tournament. They were expected to be a contender again last winter, behind McDonald’s All-American forward Jackson Grant — who averaged 22.9 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3 blocks per game in his shortened senior season on his way to Gatorade Player of the Year honors — but the tournament wasn’t played. But, even without the two-time TNT All-Area player of the year, the 4A SPSL South champion Bears have a solid group heading back to the Tacoma Dome. Junior guard Parker Gerrits (17.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.1 steals per game), the 4A SPSL South MVP, can score at all levels and is the engine behind Olympia’s production. The Bears have two more 4A SPSL South first-teamers in 6-foot-7 junior forward Andreas Engholm (14 points, 5.7 rebounds) and senior guard Caden Roth (8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists). This is the first time Olympia — which earned a double-digit win over No. 14 Jackson in the regional round — has made back-to-back state tournament appearances since the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The Bears have two titles in their history in 1929 and 1986.
No. 15 Graham-Kapowsin —The Eagles may enter the weekend as the bracket’s lowest remaining seed, but don’t count them — or leading scorer Joshua Wood (15.3 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists per game) — out. The senior guard, who was a first-team 4A SPSL South pick, has already guided Graham-Kapowsin to one state title this school year. Behind the competitive quarterback, the Eagles rolled to an undefeated season, historic 4A championship and then a thrilling win on a national stage at the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series. Wood, who is headed to Fresno State to play football next season, was also the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year and TNT All-Area player of the year in the fall. Senior guard Christian Ballah (11.3 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocks), the 4A SPSL South defensive player of the year and a first-team pick, and junior guard Elijah Cain (13.7 points, 5 assists, 2 steals) are also key contributors for the Eagles. Graham-Kapowsin upset No. 10 Glacier Peak in the regionals last weekend to cap the perfect five-for-five effort by South Sound schools in the round. The Eagles are in the tournament for the first time in school history.
15 PLAYERS TO WATCH
G/F Isaiah Afework, Federal Way, jr.
F Tyler Bilodeau, Kamiakin, sr.
G Dylan Darling, Central Valley, sr.
G Zoom Diallo, Curtis, soph.
F Yanni Fassilis, Union, jr.
G Parker Gerrits, Olympia, jr.
F Miles Heide, Mount Si, jr.
G Bryson Metz, Union, sr.
G Bennett O’Connor, Mount Si, sr.
G Quin Patterson, Mount Si, sr.
G Tyce Paulsen, Curtis, jr.
F Jayden Stevens, Gonzaga Prep, sr.
F Carson Talbert, Tahoma, sr.
G/F Vaughn Weems, Federal Way, jr.
G Joshua Wood, Graham-Kapowsin, sr.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PREDICTION
Mount Si 62, Curtis 57
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 2:39 PM.
