Month: March 2016

Basketball season is so much fun, and it’s always a bit depressing when it ends — although I’ve certainly spoken to a few coaches, players, and reporters who are all ready for a break. After twelve state championships were handed out on Saturday night in Tacoma, Yakima, and Spokane, it’s now another nine months until the state’s preps will return to the hardwood.

To help pass the time, here’s a three-part post to rehash the weekend’s state-tournament action, including a full list where teams finished, a recap of how it all went down, and a sneak peek at who some of the best teams figure to be when we get back down to the business of high-school hoops next November.

This post covers the Class 4A and 3A tournaments in Tacoma. You can find a Class 2A and 1A recap here, and Class 2B and 1B here.

4A Boys

Results

First: Federal Way

Second: Kentwood

Third: Gonzaga Prep

Fourth: Union

Fifth: Curtis

Sixth: Issaquah

Continue reading “State Basketball Recap, Part I: Tacoma”

At long last, after a season’s worth of upsets and buzzer beaters, early-morning practices and long, uncomfortable bus rides, the state tournament is here. Beginning Thursday morning at 9 a.m., it all gets decided on the court.

So we’ll get right down to the last of our previews, which began earlier this week with the Class 2B and Class 1B tournaments in Spokane and continued with the Class 2A and 1A tournaments in Yakima. Now, it’s time for Class 4A and Class 3A, home of the finest teams and players in the state. This is the cream of the crop.

CLASS 4A BOYS

The matchups

Curtis (24-3) vs. Central Valley (20-5), 3:45 p.m.

Kentwood (20-6) vs. Issaquah (21-3), 5:30 p.m.

Lewis & Clark (20-6) vs. Federal Way (26-0), 7:15 p.m.

Union (22-2) vs. Gonzaga Prep (23-1), 9 p.m.

Continue reading “High School Basketball State Tournament Preview, Part III: Tacoma”

Imagine being Scott Kelly, the astronaut who on Tuesday night touched down his landing craft in Kazakhstan after spending the previous 340 days aboard the International Space Station. It was longer than any human being has ever been in space. Imagine that. Try to remember last March 25, the day Kelly launched, how long ago that feels, and remember everything you’ve done since then: All the people you’ve seen, all the meals you’ve eaten, all the times you’ve looked at a tree, or felt sand beneath your feet, or the wind on your face, all the nights you’ve slept in your own wonderful bed. Imagine if that whole time, all those many days and nights, you were instead orbiting 250 miles up above the Earth, moving at nearly five miles per second, encased in a hunk of metal.

Five thousand #sunrises during my #YearInSpace. Wish I could have seen them all! pic.twitter.com/s2Slz6NH4n

— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) February 27, 2016

Continue reading “The Spaceman”

We’re back with a plan of attack for our second state tourney preview, heading now to Yakima — the Palm Springs of Washington — where the venerable old SunDome will play host to the Class 2A and Class 1A brackets.

While there are fairly clear favorites in 1A for both the boys and girls, 2A is as wide open as any classification in the state. For both genders, there are four or five different teams that have a real chance to bring home the largest piece of hardware.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. More on that to come.

If you missed Monday’s preview of the Class 2B and 1B tournaments, it can be found here. Check back on Wednesday for part three, taking a look at the big school action in the Tacoma Dome.

Continue reading “High School Basketball State Tournament Preview, Part II: Yakima”

In three cities across the state of Washington this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, a grand total of twelve basketball teams will be crowned state champions. It’s a crazy 72 hours of hoops ahead, with 96 teams in action and well over a hundred games scheduled to be played. It can all be a little much for even the most seasoned rooter to keep track of.

So to set the stage, we’re gonna bust out a three-part preview that breaks down all the boys and girls brackets for all six classifications, analyzing the first-round matchups, highlighting some of the teams and players to watch, and outlining a few key storylines. We’ll kick things off with the Class 2B and Class 1B tournaments, to be played at the Spokane Arena, with Class 2A and 1A to follow on Tuesday and Class 4A and 3A on Wednesday.

Usual disclaimer: I haven’t ever seen the majority of these teams play and don’t claim to be an expert on the ins and outs of the Class 1B scene. Many predictions herein will be wrong. This is supposed to be fun.

Continue reading “High School Basketball State Tournament Preview, Part 1: Spokane”