Tacoma Dome and Yakima Valley SunDome host high school basketball tournaments featuring Clark County teams
Six Clark County teams still have a shot at earning a trophy at state basketball tournaments.
Four play Wednesday in loser-out games, while two have already made it to the quarterfinals, which begin Thursday.
All games are streamed, at a cost, on the NFHS Network: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/playoffs/state/washington?drilldown=upcoming
Here are some notes from each program’s matchups as well as some history.
Wednesday’s loser-out games
Class 2A girls
No. 7 Washougal vs. No. 10 White River, 10:30 a.m., Yakima Valley SunDome
Washougal is 16-5 this season. The Panthers’ best win streak was nine games. The Panthers got to state with a win over league-rival Hockinson, avenging a loss earlier in the season, in the district tournament. Washougal lost in the state regional on Saturday against Ellensburg, falling into Wednesday’s round-of-12 game.
White River is 20-4 and has two six-game winning streaks this season. White River beat Sammamish in a loser-out state regional game over the weekend to advance to Yakima.
Washougal history: This is the fifth state appearance for the Panthers, and fourth since 2016.
Washougal’s best moment: This is a no-brainer. The 2019 Panthers won the Class 2A state championship.
Wednesday’s winner: Will face No. 8 Burlington-Edison at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals
Class 1A boys
No. 12 King’s Way Christian vs. No. 4 Freeman, 12:15 p.m., Yakima Valley SunDome
King’s Way Christian is 16-5 this season. The Knights’ best win streak was five. The Knights only have two seniors, one starter. Reaching the final 12 is quite the accomplishment for this young team. King’s Way advanced to Yakima with a win over Lakeside in the state regionals. Giovanny Evanson scored a career-high 35 points to lead the Knights.
Freeman lost its first game of the season, won 21 in a row, then lost in the state regional, falling into the round-of-12.
King’s Way Christian history: This is the ninth state tournament appearance for the Knights and seventh in a row.
King’s Way Christian’s best moment: On March 1, 2019, the Knights topped King’s 43-42 in the semifinals, advancing to the state championship game.
Wednesday’s winner: Will face No. 3 Life Christian at 12:15 p.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals
Class 4A girls
No. 9 Camas vs. No. 8 Bellarmine Prep, 2 p.m. Wednesday, Tacoma Dome
Camas is 16-8. It’s best winning streak was five games. The Papermakers played a tough non-league schedule and have also battled with injuries. Two losses in the bi-district probably cost them a top-8 seed, which meant Camas had to win in the state regionals in order to advance to Tacoma. The Papermakers got it done, behind Reagan Jamison’s huge game, taking down Inglemoor.
Bellarmine Prep is 17-7. Its longest winning streak this season was five games. Bellarmine and Camas played each other twice this year. Camas had no problem in a victory in December, but Bellarmine topped the Papermakers 73-65 in the bi-district tournament a couple weeks ago.
Camas history: The Papermakers are starting to make a habit out of going to state. This will be the program’s fifth consecutive appearance and eighth overall.
Camas’ best moment: Gotta be the 2018 tournament. Camas and rival Union played each other in the round-of-12 at the Tacoma Dome. Camas prevailed 53-39 to advance to the quarterfinals.
Wednesday’s winner: Will face No. 2 Sumner at 2 p.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals.
Class 1A girls
No. 15 La Center vs. No. 7 Colville, 5:30 p.m., Yakima Valley SunDome
La Center is 16-7. The Wildcats won eight in a row earlier in the season. The Wildcats have won three consecutive elimination games, including a victory in the state regionals over the weekend. Kylee Stephens scored 29 points as La Center rallied from a huge deficit to beat Annie Wright 52-48.
Colville is 16-4. The Crimson Hawks lost their first game of the season then reeled off 14 consecutive wins. Colville is coming off a 30-point loss to Nooksack Valley, though, in the regionals.
La Center history: This is the 16th state appearance for the Wildcats and first since 2018. Brittney Stryker took over as the head coach prior to the 2020-21 school year, when there was no state tournament. So she is 1-for-1 in coaching a team to state.
La Center’s best moment: The Wildcats have gone to the semifinals twice, but gotta go with the first time, in 2004. La Center beat Connell 42-33 to make it to the final four. The Wildcats ended up with a sixth-place trophy, the best in program history.
Wednesday’s winner: Will face No. 1 Lynden Christian, 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals.
…
Two Clark County teams are already in the quarterfinals:
Class 2A girls
No. 3 Hudson’s Bay vs. winner of No. 12 Lynden vs. No. 4 W.F. West, 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Yakima Valley SunDome
Hudson’s Bay is 18-3. The Eagles won 12 in a row at one point this season on the way to the 2A Greater St. Helens League crown. Should the Eagles take on W.F. West, it will be a rematch of the district tournament semifinals. Bay beat W.F. West 33-30 that night.
Hudson’s Bay history: This is the third consecutive appearance for the program and the fifth overall. The Eagles have won state regional games the past two tournaments to advance to the round of 12. By earning a top-8 seed and then winning this year’s regional round, the Eagles advanced to the quarterfinals for the second time in program history.
Best moment for Hudson’s Bay: Must go back to 2007 when the Eagles beat East Valley of Spokane 49-31 when the Eagles were a Class 3A program. That victory came in the old KeyArena in Seattle and sent Bay to the quarterfinals.
Class 4A boys
No. 3 Union vs. winner of No. 12 Central Valley vs. No. 4 Kamiakin, 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Tacoma Dome
Union is 19-5. The Titans won 11 consecutive games at one point this season, on the way to a co-4A GSHL championship. The Titans then won the tiebreaker game to earn the league’s top seed to bi-district. Union never trailed on Saturday in a 10-point win over Mariner in the regional, advancing directly to the state quarterfinals. The Titans, for what it’s worth, beat Central Valley by 25 points earlier this season. Union has not played Kamiakin this season.
Union history: This is the seventh consecutive appearance for the Titans, and 12th overall. Impressive for any program. Even more impressive when considering Union opened its doors in the 2007-08 academic year.
Union’s best moment: It was Year 3 of the program. The seniors that year had been playing varsity ball since they were sophomores, when the school opened. They put it all together at the end of February and into March. The Titans won back-to-back one-point games in the semifinals and finals, taking down undefeated Enumclaw 51-50 for the Class 3A championship in 2010.
