Preview of state regional round matchups for Greater Spokane League qualifiers | State basketball
There are 10 Greater Spokane League teams who have reached the regional round of the state basketball playoffs. Here’s a look at each matchup. Top eight seeds are “protected” and advance to state venue games starting Wednesday at Tacoma Dome and Yakima Valley SunDome. Seed No. 9 and below play in loser-our games.
All games on Saturday.
Boys
4A: (5) Gonzaga Prep vs (4) Glacier Peak, 2 p.m. at North Creek HS. What a difference one spot in the brackets makes. G-Prep (18-6) went undefeated in league play and was the GSL champ, but due to the Bullpups’ 65-53 loss to Richland (21-0) in the district title game, they end up as the fifth seed and have to travel to Bothell for their regional game.
The senior-laden Bullpups got an offensive boost when Dylynn Groves (14.6 ppg) returned to the lineup from injury in mid-December, and no team in the tournament plays tougher defense.
3A: (3) Mt. Spokane vs (6) Prairie, noon at West Valley HS. The big question is when does last year’s GSL MVP Jaden Ghoresihi take the floor again? He averaged 18.4 points per game early but last played on Dec. 20, missing the entire league season with blood clots in his lungs. His health now assured, he has resumed practicing with the Wildcats (17-6) and coach David Wagenblast hopes to have him back soon, if not this weekend.
3A: (13) Central Valley vs (12) Liberty (Renton), noon at Issaquah HS. The Bears (18-7) benefited from a buzzer-beating shot by Cameron Walls on Tuesday to advance to this loser-out game. CV is dangerous on all three levels, with Walls at point guard, Orland Axton (19.1 ppg) on the wing and big man Emerson Lippoldt underneath.
2A: (4) Pullman vs (5) Tumwater, 4 p.m. at West Valley HS. The Greyhounds (20-3) finished the season No. 5 in the state’s RPI system but jumped No. 3-ranked Tumwater to get a “home” game in Spokane on Saturday. Pullman’s three first-team all-league selections – post Gavyn Dealy and guards Cade Rogers and Vaughn Holstad – all average better than 14 points per game.
2A: (13) West Valley vs (12) Lakewood, 10 a.m. at Mount Vernon HS. The Eagles (15-7) fell victim to the bracket draw too, missing out on a local game by one seed for their loser-out game and instead being forced on a 342-mile one-way road trip. Point guard Nathan Zettle was league co-MVP and averaged 17 points per game and Noah Willard (17.3 ppg) is a dependable scorer.
Girls
4A: (5) Gonzaga Prep vs (4) Woodinville, noon at North Creek HS. G-Prep’s girls team suffered the same fate as the boys, missing on a local game this weekend by one seed in the bracket. Instead, the GSL champion Bullpups (21-1) – whose only loss this season was in the district championship game to Chiawana (24-0) – have to make the five-plus hour drive for a regional game.
G-Prep has five players who score more than nine points per game, led by junior point guard Aylah Cornwall (17.5 ppg), who was named league MVP and defensive player of the year.
4A: (12) Mead vs (13) Tahoma, 10 a.m. at West Valley HS. The Panthers (18-5) are making their fifth-straight trip to state, but are taking a different path this year, having already won two consecutive loser-out games in districts to reach the bracket. Unfortunately, they are still without leading scorers Addison Wells-Morrison (13. 5 ppg) and Ellie Thornton (10.9 ppg) due to injury, so Mead will have to rely even more heavily on a suffocating defense and senior Caroline Spink (9.3 ppg).
3A: (3) Ridgeline vs (6) Eastside Catholic, 2 p.m. at West Valley HS. The Falcons have been led by their two all-league leaders – senior post Madi Crowley (19.1 ppg) and junior point guard Grace Sheridan (18.0 ppg) – all season, an inside-outside combo as strong as any in the state. But down the stretch freshman Noelia Axton brought her offensive game up a notch and has become a dependable third option for coach Freddie Rehkow.
2A: (2) Deer Park vs (7) Ellensburg, 8 p.m. at West Valley HS. The Stags (21-2) have finished second (in 1A) and third the last two years at state and would sure like to add that championship trophy to the case and send seniors Jacey Boesel (20.3 ppg) and Emma Bryant (13.0 ppg) off in style. Junior Ashlan Bryant (20.6) is a catalyst and after a grueling nonleague and GSL season they are battle tested.
2A: (4) Clarkston vs (5) Archbishop Murphy, 2 p.m. at Cheney HS. The Bantams (20-3) were league champs via their late-season overtime win over Deer Park, before the Stags returned the favor in the district title game. Clarkston is deep, with five players averaging more than nine points per game.