High School

3A/4A boys Hardwood Classic 2020: First round highlights, photos, top performances, stats leaders

TACOMA — The 3A/4A Washington high school boys basketball state tournament began on Wednesday with eight teams playing in loser-out games. Here is a breakdown

Andy Buhler, SBLive Sports

3A/4A boys Hardwood Classic 2020: First round highlights, photos, top performances, stats leaders
3A/4A boys Hardwood Classic 2020: First round highlights, photos, top performances, stats leaders /

TACOMA — The 3A/4A Washington high school boys basketball state tournament began on Wednesday with eight teams playing in loser-out games.

Here is a breakdown of each game, statistical leaders, top highlights and photos:

3A BOYS FINAL: MARYSVILLE-PILCHUCK 63, CENTRAL KITSAP 48

Palisades-Santa-Monica36

Winner plays: No. 4 Garfield, Thursday at 9 a.m.

What made the difference

Size and rebounding. Marysville-Pilchuck owned a 35-22 advantage on the glass, including 12 offensive boards to set up second-chance points. That made it particularly difficult for Central Kitsap to slow M-P's run in the third quarter, and it made life difficult for crafty CK guard Colby White, who utilized a mix of screens and will to get open. But those chances were hard to come by, and M-P turned an eight-point halftime lead into a 20-point game early in the fourth.

Players of the game

Cameron Stordahl, Marysville-Pilchuck, G/F

The senior scored 11 of his game-high 25 points in the third quarter to build a lead that reached 20 early in the fourth, including a pair of back-to-back 3s in the left corner, to give Pilchuck a 15-point lead. He also grabbed six rebounds and finished shooting 9 of 18 from the field.

Colby White, Central Kitsap, G

Finished with a team-high 17 points on 7 of 12 shooting. He hit a tough contested step-back 3 with two minutes left, but at that point, Maryville-Pilchuck had complete control.

"(White's) so quick around the corners, lots of screens for him," Stordahl said. "Our big guys are really good on-ball defenders, and he's just able to get around and hit step-backs, it's just shots he's going to hit."

3A BOYS FINAL: NO. 2 WILSON 73, NO. 15 MARYSVILLE-GETCHELL 52

Winner: Plays No. 1 Eastside Catholic (23-3), 10:30 a.m.

What made the difference?

In order for Marysville-Getchell to contend, senior standout guard Malakhi Knight was going to have to have a big game. He did, scoring 29 points, and still Wilson was able to deploy balanced scoring and a strong shooting performance (50 percent from the field). The Rams held the Chargers to 34.5 percent shooting in the game, including 18.5 percent in the first half (Wilson outscored them 23-8 in the second quarter) as as Wilson built its insurmountable lead.

Players of the game

Jackson Dorsey, Wilson

Dorsey scored 12 points as one of three Rams in double-figures and also pulled down nine boards and two steals. And he did so shooting 6 of 9 from the field.

Malakhi Knight, Marysville-Getchell

Knight, a 6-foot-4 guard, was a load. It's no overstatement that if the Oregon State baseball commit wanted to play college basketball, he'd have no trouble finding a home at the next level. In the Chargers' season-ending loss, he poured on 29 points on 11 of 24 shooting, hit four 3s, was 3 of 3 from the free throw line and had three steals. but he struggled from. the field as Wilson made an effort to face guard him with several different bodies.

3A boys final: No. 13 Rainier Beach 61, No. 5 Evergreen 52

Up next: Rainier Beach plays No. 6 Kamiakin (20-3) on Thursday at 12:15 p.m. in the 3A quarterfinals.

What made the difference?

Evergreen led by one at halftime, then Rainier Beach held the Plainsmen to three points in the third quarter on 29.6 percent shooting, 13.3 percent from 3-point range. Carter Monda long two with around 3:38 left in the fourth cut the Beach lead, which reached double digits, to five. Beach rebuilt its lead, behind forced turnovers (Evergreen had 15), but the Plainsmen tried to claw back in the final minute. Monda had a put-back with about 15 seconds left, but Beach held on.

Players of the game

Kejohn Atkins, Rainier Beach

Scored 16 points on 7 of 13 shooting and logged three steals to lead Beach in scoring. Atkins' offense helped the Vikings stave Evergreen's late attempts to cut into the lead.

Zyell Griffin, Evergreen

Logged 19 points on 7 of 14 shooting, a team-high for the Plainsmen. Also had two assists and was 4 of 4 from the free throw line.

3A BOYS: NO. 9 SEATTLE PREP 74, NO. 8 MT. SPOKANE 50

Up next: Seattle prep takes on No. 7 O’Dea (21-5), 2 p.m. Thursday in the 3A quarterfinals.

What made the difference?

Seattle Prep had a day shooting the ball. The Panthers shot 59.1 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from 3-point range (10 of 18) to distance itself from Mt. Spokane in the second half. The Wildcats struggled from the field, shooting 38.8 percent overall and 4 of 21 (19 percent) from 3-point range.

Quotable

Seattle Prep coach Michael Kelly

"We just knew in order have success against them, we were really going to have to lock in defensively. They're a really good team and Tyson (Degenhart), I mean, he's as good as they come in Washington high school basketball and coach does a really nice job. Maybe part of it was we were so locked in defensively that their mind was a little more free to shoot it on offense."

Mt. Spokane coach David Wagenblast

Mt. Spokane players console each other in the final moments of a first round loss to Seattle Prep.
Mt. Spokane players console each other in the final moments of a first round loss to Seattle Prep

"to be out after one is really disappointing after last weekend. I feel bad for the kids. They really worked to be here." (Mt. Spokane took top-seeded Eastside Catholic to overtime last weekend)

"We knew they could really shoot the ball, but in eight games of film, that was unquestionably the best shooting performance they've had. So, kudos to them. They're a good team, they're really well coached and they were clearly the better team today."

Players of the game

Braeden Smith, Seattle Prep

What a game for the 5-foot-10 sophomore. Smith hit 7 of 9 shots, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, to post a team-high 20 points

Tyson Degenhart, Mt. Spokane

Scored 28 points on 9 of 15 shooting and pulled down seven boards to lead the Wildcats.

4A FINAL: NO. 11 SKYVIEW 47, NO. 6 WEST VALLEY (YAKIMA) 31

Winner: Plays No. 4 Central Valley (22-2), 3:45 p.m. Thursday in 4A quarterfinals

What made the difference?

Skyview limited West Valley to just 12 points in the first half — four alone in the second quarter — and the Rams didn't hit a 3 all night (0 for 12).

Players of the game

Jace Chatman, Skyview

Chatman hit four of his team's seven 3-pointers and posted a game-high 22 points.

Logan Kinlock, West Valley (Yakima)

Scored nine points (team-high) and pulled down five boards.

Quotable

Jon Kinloch, West Valley head coach

"This group was so unselfish and so supportive of one another, that's what made the end hard. Not losing, not getting beat, not underperforming — which some teams, when you underperform, that's what it's all about — but with this group, of all the groups I've had, there were not problems, no finger-pointing all season, parents were supportive, school was supportive. It's very unusual you experience that, so when the journey comes to an end, you feel for the kids because it's the last time we're together."

4A FINAL: NO. 10 OLYMPIA 48, NO. 7 AUBURN 43

Winner: Plays No. 1 Union (25-0), Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the 4A quarterfinals

What made the difference?

After a below-average first half of shooting (29.2 percent), Olympia shot the ball significantly better as a team in the second half (57.9 percent) and it payed off. The Bears flipped a five-point halftime deficit into a second half lead, and found ways to score outside of center Jackson Grant, a Washington commit. Three players — Ethan Gahm (14 points), Grant (13) and Kai Johnson (11) — scored in double figures.

Players of the game

Jackson Grant, Olympia

The 6-foot-10 center is a matchup nightmare, but Auburn was successful in neutralizing him by collapsing multiple defenders down low — at times. Grant still made an impact, scoring 13 points and pulling down 13 boards, four on the offensive end.

Trevon Blassingame, Auburn

Blassingame is one of several pieces of proof that Auburn will be here to stay for years to come. The sophomore wing posted 15 points and 10 boards, including three 3-pointers.

4A FINAL: NO. 5 FEDERAL WAY 78, NO. 12 BATTLE GROUND 57

Winner: Plays No. 3 Mount Si (23-4), Thursday at 7:15 p.m. in the quarterfinals

What made the difference?

Shooting percentage. Federal Way shot a lights-out 12 of 23 from 3-point range and 57 percent from the field overall. Battle Ground and its duo of sharp-shooting guards Nate Millspaugh and Brendan Beall shot 3 of 15 from deep. It helped Federal Way outscore the Tigers 48-22 in the second and third quarters combined to lead by as many as 29 points.

Players of the game

Jaylen-Wes Williams, Federal Way

Scored 18 points on 6 of 11 shooting and 3 of 6 from behind the 3-point line to lead Federal Way. Also dished out four assists.

"It felt great. People don't see me as a shooter, but I've been working on it myself," Williams said.

Kaden Perry, Battle Ground

Scored 26 points, nabbed 16 boards and went 8 of 11 from the free throw line — all in front of his future coaches in Gonzaga head coach Mark Few and assistant coach Brian Michaelson, who were courtside.

FINAL: NO. 9 SUMNER 60, NO. 8 GONZAGA PREP 59

Winner: Plays No. 2 Glacier Peak (24-0), Thursday at 9 p.m. in the 4A state quarterfinals.

Sumner makes history!

Wednesday night's last-minute win was the first state tournament win since 1971. Head coach Jake Johnson jumped up on the media table. Players ran around aimlessly, jumped into each other's arms and one even climbed a rail and jumped into the student section. It was a celebration 49 years in the making.

The go-ahead shot

Video posted to Twitter by Jon Manley of The Tacoma News Tribune.

Sumner's Josh Lear hit the go-ahead corner 3-pointer on a catch-and-shoot from a baseline inbound with 18.7 seconds left. With 1.5 seconds left, Gonzaga Prep's Liam Lloyd pump-faked, caught two defenders in the air, and got off a clean look at a game-winning 3, but it fell short.

What made the difference?

Sumner keyed in on Gonzaga Prep standout Liam Lloyd, who struggled from the field. He finished 2 of 7 in the first half — 1 of 6 from 3-point range and ended up with 12 points on 33 percent shooting. To Lloyd's credit, he finished a remarkable postseason run, and affected the game in different ways (seven assists, six boards).

Players of the game

Lamar Campbell and Josh Lear, Sumner

Campbell had 22 points on 9 of 14 shooting, including 10 in the second half. Lear led all scorers in the first half with 15, then didn't hit a shot — until he hit the shot.

Jayden Stevens, Gonzaga Prep

The big man had a team-high 18 points, eight rebounds and made 8 of 12 field goal attempts.

Quotable

Jake Jackson, Sumner head coach

After winning the program's first state game in 49 years, he had this to say to his team: "Are you satisfied now that you’re at the Dome for the first time ever, are you satisfied with that? Or are we going to go to the dome and make some noise? You have a choice to make. And they were all committed to ‘let’s go to the dome, do what we do, and make some noise.’ "

Published
Andy Buhler, SBLive Sports
ANDY BUHLER, SBLIVE SPORTS

Andy Buhler is a Regional Editor of Texas and the national breaking news desk. He brings more than five years of experience covering high school sports across the state of Washington and beyond, where he covered the likes of Paolo Banchero and Tari Eason served on state tournament seeding committees. He works on the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 national boys basketball rankings. He has covered everything from the Final Four, MLS in Atlanta to local velodrome before diving into the world of preps. His bylines can be found in The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington), The Associated Press, The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington), The Oregonian and more. He holds a degree from Gonzaga and is based out of Portland, Oregon.

Home/Washington