Runnin’ through Class 4A WIAA regional boys basketball: Mount Si, Gonzaga Prep make for top billing

What is the top-billed matchup? Who is the darkhorse to make a run in Tacoma? Which player is the biggest lock to drop 30?

With the 16-team field set for regional round of the WIAA Class 4A boys basketball tournament, set for March 2-5 at the Tacoma Dome, here is SBLive's weekend overview of the matchups, players to watch — and game score predictions:

(SBLIVE'S FINAL BOYS BASKETBALL POWER RANKINGS)

CLASS 4A BOYS REGIONAL PREVIEW

Tahoma's Cooper Church / Photo by Vince Miller

TOP BILLING

Collectively, there might not be a game with more D1 athletes on the floor at the same time in the regional round than Gonzaga Prep-Mount Si. Led by UC San Diego-bound Quin Patterson, Mount Si's loaded arsenal of impact players will face a typically-disciplined Matty McIntyre defense and recent Oregon State commit Jayden Stevens and dominant Wildcats 6-9 forward Miles Heide will collide.

BEST BET TO SCORE 30?

Dylan Darling set GSL records in single-game scoring (53 points) and season scoring average (34.3 points per game). He is a walking bucket.

RIDE THIS DARKHORSE

A 5-seed may not be considered a darkhorse, but pay attention to the momentum brewing at Tahoma, playing in its first state tournament since 1981 after defeating 4A NSPL champ Federal way for the first time since 2013.

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PROTECTED-GAME PREVIEW CAPSULES

Yanni Fassillis, who transferred from Washougal in the offseason, has been a difference-maker down low for Union / Photo by Andy Buhler

No. 1 Mount Si vs. No. 8 Gonzaga Prep

2 p.m. Saturday, Bellevue College

Skinny: The wire-to-wire No. 1 Wildcats' present for weeping its way to a league, district title? The red-hot Bullpups, who have momentum coming off of a district title thriller.

Pick: Mount Si, 79-75.

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No. 2 Curtis vs. No. 7 Davis

2 p.m. Saturday, Foss High School, Tacoma

Skinny: Now we will know what the 4A CBBN champion Pirates, who carry the second-weakest strength of schedule in 4A, are made of, facing a No. 2 Curtis team playing its best basketball of the season.

Pick: Curtis, 75-62.

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No. 3 Union vs. No. 6 Mariner

10 a.m. Saturday, Battle Ground High School

Skinny: When healthy, Mariner has been tremendous this season. 4A GSHL champ Union can say the same — it has only lost twice at full strength.

Pick: Union, 70-66.

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No. 4 Kamiakin vs. No. 5 Tahoma

4 p.m. Saturday, Richland High School

Skinny: Who will emerge among the tall trees down low — Tahoma standout frontcourt of Carson Talbert (6-7) and Cooper Church (6-9), or Oregon State-bound Tyler Bilodeau?

Pick: Kamiakin, 71-62.

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WINNER-TO-STATE-GAME PREVIEWS

No. 9 Federal Way vs. No. 16 Eastmont

4 p.m. Saturday, Auburn High School

Skinny: If Federal Way plays the way it wants to play — up tempo, aggressive defensively — and one of Isaiah Afework, Dase Pleasant and Vaughn Weems get going? Watch out.

Pick: Federal Way, 73-61.

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No. 10 Glacier Peak vs. No. 15 Graham-Kapowsin

4 p.m. Saturday, Everett Community College

Skinny: A scary team to face in a loser-out situation is Graham-Kapowsin, which is led by a senior Fresno State football commit — Josh Wood — who was a GEICO National Bowl Series darling in December and put an end to wire-to-wire top-10 Camas' season in districts — in OT.

Pick: Glacier Peak, 70-62.

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No. 11 Olympia vs. No. 14 Jackson

2 p.m. Saturday, Tumwater High School

Skinny: Junior Sylas Williams turned some monster performances early in the season. Then defenses threw more at him. Who has the bigger game: Williams, or prolific Olympia point guard Parker Gerrits.

Pick: Olympia, 65-58.

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No. 12 Central Valley vs. No. 13 Woodnville

6 p.m. Saturday, University High School, Spokane

Skinny: Led by Dylan Darling, the Bears are coming off of a 60-57 elimination game win over Richland in the district third place game. Meanwhile the Falcons were able to disrupt top-ranked Mount Si's guards in the 4A WesKing district title game.

(READ: Record-breaking Dylan Darling is carrying Central Valley's tournament hopes on his shoulders)

Pick: Central Valley, 68-63.

(WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD)