Manley: 5 intriguing South Sound state regional boys, girls basketball games
The regional round of the high school boys and girls state basketball tournaments takes place Friday and Saturday across the state. The top eight seeds in each bracket are protected and guaranteed state tournament berths, while seeds nine through 16 will have to win to get through.
There are a bunch of compelling matchups up and down the board. Here are five involving South Sound teams that are intriguing to me.
BOYS BASKETBALL
4A: No. 11 Kentwood vs. No. 14 Arlington, 2 p.m. Saturday at Auburn High School
This is a really tough loser-out draw for Kentwood. I watched Arlington guard Leyton Martin (he was also the quarterback last fall for the Eagles’ state tournament football team) at the Tacoma Dome last winter and left with no doubt in my mind that he’s one of the state’s best guards. This season, he’s averaging a double-double with 22.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Kentwood has the pieces to not only win this game, but make a serious run in the 4A state tournament at the Tacoma Dome, but the Conquerors have been inconsistent this season. The preseason 4A NPSL favorite, Kentwood dropped both games this season to eventual league winner Auburn, but then went on to beat Glacier Peak — the state tournament’s No. 3 seed this winter — in late January. Guards Brandon Tagle and Corey Tita will need to bring their A-game.
4A: No. 2 Auburn vs. No. 7 Mount Si, 6 p.m. Saturday at Auburn High School
Big test for Ryan Hansen’s Trojans squad, which has hurdled every obstacle in its path this season. Guards Carter Hansen and Daniel Johnson have been high-level scorers for the Trojans this winter. Mount Si, the defending 4A state champion, scuffled a bit in the middle of the season but has won 10 of its last 12 games. Guard Brady Hennig (19.7 ppg) and 6-foot-7 wing Latt Ford (18.2 ppg) are a handful.
3A: No. 3 Garfield vs. No. 6 Lincoln, 8 p.m. Saturday at Bellevue College
The young Abes get a peek at perennial contender Garfield a few days ahead of the annual Metro Invitational — ahem, the 3A state basketball tournament. Sorry. The task defensively will be keeping Garfield’s guards from getting hot shooting from outside. Senior Brandon Roy Jr. and sophomore Tripp Haywood can both light up the scoreboard, while 6-foot-9 senior forward Juju Ervin, a North Central (Spokane) transfer, gives the Bulldogs length. They’ll have to contend with Lincoln’s trio of talented guards: freshman Davion Shareef-Dulaney and sophomores Trey Collier and O’Shea Lamar. Expect forwards Kasey Williams and Justus Holt to be ready for the challenge, too.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
3A: No. 3 White River vs. No. 6 Lakeside, 4 p.m. Saturday at Auburn High School
White River held its own against North Thurston’s loaded backcourt in the 3A District 3/4 championship game. Sophomore guard Maggee Schmitz is turning into one of the area’s top guards and forward Vivian Kingston is a crafty interior scorer. Lakeside has a couple wins over Garfield on its resume, led by guards Anvi Bhatia, Willia Chinn and Helena Christofilis.
2A: No. 11 Eatonville vs. No. 14 Ridgefield, 6 p.m. Friday at Mount Tahoma High School
I’m mostly interested in this game because of the career guard Bailey Andersen has put together at Eatonville. She became the school’s all-time career leading scorer this season, breaking a mark that stood for 24 years (Liz Clark, ‘01). Eatonville is 21-4 this season and ran through the 2A SPSL with a perfect 16-0 mark. It’d be an appropriate sendoff to see Andersen end her career with a 2A state tournament appearance.
