7th POA Holiday Classic Brings Some of the Nation's Top Girls Basketball Teams to Portland

Diamond, Platinum brackets feature California, Oregon, Washington state champions

California (CIF) State Open Division champion Etiwanda is one of the elite teams in the Diamond Bracket of this year's POA Holiday Classic. / Photo by Ralph Thompson

The seventh annual POA Holiday Classic has blossomed from a two-bracket affair in 2018 into a 63-team goliath with eight brackets spread across the Rose City, including several national powers vying for the title in the elite Diamond Bracket.

Teams from Oregon, Washington, California, Texas and Florida are scheduled to take part in the four-day tournament, with the top two brackets taking place at Franklin High School in Southeast Portland.

Diamond Bracket has loaded field headed by Etiwanda, Mater Dei, Tualatin

The Diamond Bracket features Etiwanda, ranked No. 6 in this week’s High School On SI California Top 25, and 10th-ranked Mater Dei along with Oregon’s top-ranked team, defending 6A champion Tualatin, which is ranked No. 7 in the nation by MaxPreps — one spot behind Etiwanda, which has won three straight Open Division (the highest division) state titles in California.

Also in the top bracket is Benson, ranked No. 5 in Oregon, along with Washington powers Union, Eastside Catholic, Annie Wright and Lake Washington.

Tualatin (Platinum), Union (Pearl) and Annie Wright (Jade) all won division titles at last year’s POA Holiday Classic.

Platinum Bracket includes Washington’s top two teams

Meanwhile, the Platinum Bracket features newly minted High School On SI Washington No. 1 Davis and the team it displaced, No. 2 Bellevue, as well as a trio of ranked Oregon teams in No. 4 South Medford, No. 14 Southridge and No. 19 Century.

Rounding out the field is Mission Hills, ranked No. 19 in California, along with Salesian Prep of California and Faith Family of Texas.

Emerald Bracket features two of California’s best

Another of California’s top teams, No. 4 St. Mary’s of Stockton, headlines the Emerald Bracket along with West Linn, Oregon’s No. 2 team that just won the top bracket at the Capitol City Classic in Salem. 

The Lions could meet Sage Hill, ranked No. 13 in California, in the semifinals if the Lightning can get past Camas (WA). Also in the field are Sumner (WA) and Oregon’s Lincoln, Beaverton, West Salem.

Sapphire Bracket champion returns to defend title

St. Joseph’s of Lakewood, Calif., will be in the Sapphire Bracket again this year, opening against local favorite Jefferson. The Jesters will be joined in the bracket by Oregon teams McNary, Jesuit, Barlow, Grants Pass, Silverton and Nelson.

The other brackets in this year’s tournament include the following teams:

Jade: Willamette, La Salle Prep, Glencoe, Skyview (WA), Ida B. Wells, Mountain View, McMinnville, Wilsonville

Pearl: Clackamas, Mountainside, Grant, North Medford, Forest Grove, Oregon City, Westview, Auburn Riverside (WA)

Ruby: Franklin, Sunset, Putnam, Lakeridge, Cleveland, Liberty, Tigard, Central Catholic

Opal: McDaniel, McKay, Battle Ground (WA), Centennial, Gresham, St. Mary’s Academy, Roosevelt

Check back to SBLive for results.