Runnin' through Class 1B girls basketball regionals: On slate for Colton-Wellpinit? Lots of points

Top seed Mount Vernon Christian opens with No. 8 seed Pomeroy, led by post player Keely Maves.

With the 16-team field set for regional round of the WIAA Class 1B girls basketball tournament, here is SBLive WA's weekend overview of the matchups, players to watch - and game score predictions:

FINAL SBLIVE WA GIRLS BASKETBALL RANKINGS

CLASS 1B GIRLS REGIONALS

TOP BILLING

With size, experience and possible return of Emma Droog, No. 1 Mount Vernon Christian could challenge as first west-side championship hopeful.

BEST BET TO SCORE 30

For Grace Academy to advance to Spokane for the first time, do-everything wing player Heidi Impola will need to have a big game against Cusick.

RIDE THIS DARKHORSE

Many feel 11-seed Waterville-Mansfield could have been a top-eight squad if it had won any of its three close losses to Moses Lake Christian.

PROTECTED-GAME PREVIEW CAPSULES

After winning its Northwest District title last week over Neah Bay, Mount Vernon Christian is the No. 1 seed in the tournament / Photo by Janine Price

No. 1 Mount Vernon Christian (19-3) vs. No. 8 Pomeroy (16-5)
Noon Saturday, Mount Vernon High School

Skinny: Hurricanes have length to neutralize post player Keely Maves, one of best player in eastern Washington.

Pick: Mount Vernon Christian, 55-30.

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No. 2 Colton (18-2) vs. No. 7 Wellpinit (11-5)
Noon Saturday, Central Valley High School

Skinny: Fun matchup of guards who fire away on 3-pointers; difference is Wildcats defend a little more astutely.

Pick: Colton, 75-67.

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No. 3 Neah Bay (12-3) vs. No. 6 Mossyrock (14-5)
4 p.m. Saturday, Mount Tahoma High School

Skinny: Arguably 1B's top point guards - Neah Bay's Allie Green and Mossyrock's Payton Torrey - go head to head.

Pick: Neah Bay, 62-51.

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No. 4 Wilbur-Creston-Keller (16-4) vs. No. 5 Garfield-Palouse (16-5)
4 p.m. Saturday, Wenatchee High School

Skinny: Big spot for guard Mackenzie Arden and company against Viks, who is still SBLive WA's top-ranked 1B squad.

Pick: Garfield-Palouse, 47-42

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WINNER-TO-STATE-GAME PREVIEW CAPSULES

Heidi Impola can score from any spot on the basketball floor for Grace Academy / Photo courtesy of Grace Academy athletics

No. 9 Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian (16-4) vs. No. 16 Willapa Valley (12-9)
6 p.m. Friday, Eastmont High School

Skinny: Real battle for tempo control as 1B Central champs want to run with Kali Kast - and physical, tough Viks don't.

Pick: Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian, 58-39.

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No. 10 Naselle (12-9) vs. No. 15 Evergreen Lutheran (10-7)
10 a.m. Saturday, Mark Morris High School

Skinny: Both squads want to press to get easy points, so winner could come from who executes halfcourt offense best.

Pick: Naselle, 41-30.

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No. 11 Waterville-Mansfield (13-4) vs. No. 14 Muckleshoot Tribal (15-4)
8 p.m. Friday, Eastmont High School

Skinny: Cardiac kids? Sea-Tac champs came back from big deficit in final minutes of district loser-out game to get in dance.

Pick: Waterville-Mansfield, 45-42.

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No. 12 Grace Academy (10-4) vs. No. 13 Cusick (15-5)
6 p.m. Friday, Everett Community College

Skinny: In perimeter-oriented matchup, can Cusick's duo (Lania and Tameira Thomspon) upstage Eagles' solo act (Impola)?

Pick: Cusick, 56-53.

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