High school girls basketball: 4A state tournament bracket breakdown
The Class 4A state girls basketball tournament in Washington begins on Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome. It’s the first Washington Interscholastic Activities Association state basketball tournament since the 2020 tournament, as last year’s was canceled because of the pandemic. The indoor mask mandate will still be in effect until March 12, but otherwise, the tournament figures to look fairly ordinary, with no limit on fan attendance in place. Here’s what to watch for this week at the Dome.
SCHEDULE
Wednesday’s first round and Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 14 Moses Lake vs. No. 6 Emerald Ridge, 9 a.m.
Winner vs. No. 5 Eastlake, 9 a.m. Thursday
No. 15 Sunnyside vs. No. 7 Richland, 10:30 a.m.
Winner vs. No. 1 Woodinville, 10:30 a.m. Thursday
No. 13 Rogers of Puyallup vs. No. 4 Lake Stevens, 12:15 p.m.
Winner vs. No. 3 Pasco, 12:15 p.m. Thursday
No. 9 Camas vs. No. 8 Bellarmine Prep, 2 p.m.
Winner vs. No. 2 Sumner, 2 p.m. Thursday
Friday’s semifinals
3:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Saturday’s championship and placing games
4th/6th — 8 a.m.
3rd/5th — 11:15 a.m.
Championship — 5 p.m.
TEAM TO BEAT
Woodinville (23-1) is the tournament’s top-seeded team after running unscathed through the 4A KingCo. Everything goes through senior Tatum Thompson, the team’s top scorer (19.9 points per game). Thompson, a 6-foot shooting guard and Boise State commit, can play both inside and out and out-leaps her opponents for rebounds. She’s shooting 60 percent from the field this season and 42 percent from beyond the arc. The Falcons play with chemistry on the floor, led by Thompson and her connection with point guard Veronica Sheffey (15.1 ppg), who have been playing together since the fourth grade. Sheffey, a San Diego commit, averages a team-high 6.3 assists per game. Woodinville’s lone loss of the season came to Tumwater — the top-seeded team in the 2A state tournament — in the first game of the season. Since then, the Falcons have rattled off 23 straight wins. Woodinville handled Tacoma’s Bellarmine Prep in the regional round last Saturday, going on a 20-0 run in the third quarter and eventually winning 85-61.
SOUTH SOUND CONTENDERS
No. 2 Sumner — We feel Sumner (22-2) is right there in the title hunt alongside Woodinville, led by twin sisters Alyson and Catelyn Deaver. The Spartans went undefeated in the 4A South Puget Sound League this winter, before winning the district title and winning a state regional round game over No. 7 Richland last Saturday, 72-52. Alyson Deaver, a 6-foot-1 guard/forward, is a threat from everywhere on the floor, can get into the lane and score at will and has a nose for the basketball coming off the rim. Catelyn, meanwhile, is a dynamic shooter and scorer with a good midrange game and guard Lainee Houilan is a true facilitator at point guard and pushes the tempo in transition for the Spartans.
No. 6 Emerald Ridge — It may come down to how close to full strength junior guard Monique Carter (ankle) is when the Jaguars begin tournament play against Moses Lake on Wednesday morning. When she’s healthy, the 4A SPSL South MVP is a force and opens things up for everyone else, including senior forward Kali Haizlip, the team’s top scorer, and sisters Maya and Marecia Barnett. Emerald Ridge was in the next tier of 4A SPSL teams behind Sumner and is plenty tested.
No. 8 Bellarmine Prep — Looking for a dark horse contender in this tournament? The Lions could fit the bill. Bellarmine (17-7) has wins over three teams in the 4A state tournament field this year: No. 13 Rogers, No. 6 Emerald Ridge and No. 9 Camas, which Bellarmine will face again in the opening round of the tournament on Wednesday afternoon in the Tacoma Dome. The Lions are young, but have talent at the guard position, led by sophomore Jada Travis and freshman Keiara Curtis, who can both put up points in a hurry.
No. 13 Rogers — The Rams are the fourth team from the 4A SPSL to make the field, after Rogers beat Issaquah in a loser-out state regional round game last Saturday, 46-40. Senior guard Jenai Ancheta runs the show for the Rams, averaging 11 points, six rebounds and three assists per game, complemented by guards Karinna Tel (11 points, two steals) and Destiny Clemons (eight points, six rebounds). Rogers will face No. 4 Lake Stevens in the opening round on Wednesday at 12:15 p.m.
10 PLAYERS TO WATCH
Monique Carter, Emerald Ridge, jr.
Alyson Deaver, Sumner, sr.
Catelyn Deaver, Sumner, sr.
Kylee Fox, Richland, jr.
Mya Groce, Pasco, sr.
Reagan Jamison, Camas, soph.
Camille Jentzsch, Lake Stevens, sr.
Ava Schmidt, Eastlake, jr.
Veronica Sheffey, Woodinville, sr.
Tatum Thompson, Woodinville, sr.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PREDICTION
Woodinville 54, Sumner 50
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 11:31 AM.
