Road to Yakima: WIAA Class 1A state boys basketball preview

No. 1 King's and No. 2 Lynden Christian could be on a crash course for a title rematch. Can No. 3 Life Christian, among others, be a disrupter?

The 2021-22 WIAA basketball season is down to its final week, and for the first time since the world shut down in March 2020, the 12 remaining Class 1A boys basketball programs are set to face off in the Yakima SunDome.

First round games begin Monday morning and run through championship games Saturday night. Here is SBLive’s tournament preview - with players to watch, team favorites, schedules and championship game predictions:

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE

King's Way Christian beat Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls in a regional elimination game behind Giovanny Evanson's career-high 35 / Photo by Ken Waz

No. 11 Castle Rock vs. No. 6 Zillah, 9 a.m.

Winner gets No. 5 Toppenish Thursday at 9 a.m.

No. 10 Seattle Academy vs. No. 7 Annie Wright, 10:30 a.m.

Winner gets No. 1 King's Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

No. 12 King's Way Christian vs. No. 4 Freeman, 12:15 p.m.

Winner gets No. 3 Life Christian Academy Thursday at 12:15 p.m.

No. 9 Blaine vs. No. 8 Quincy, 2 p.m.

Winner gets No. 2 Lynden Christian Thursday at 2 p.m.

COVERAGE REWIND

• Top stars, best performances in WIAA regional basketball playoff round

• SBLive’s final Washington high school boys basketball power rankings, by classification (Feb.21)

• 'We wanted to start a new path:' As Life Christian Academy readies for state tournament, a senior class reflects on its journey

• Empowered by coaches, driven by 'fearlessness': How King's freshman Cam Hiatt is taking the state by storm

7 PLAYERS TO WATCH

Zillah's Clay Delp has been a steady-handed multi-sport leader for years.  / Photo by Todd Milles

G Logan Britt, Seattle Academy, sr.

F Quin Goldsmith, Freeman, sr.

G Clay Delp, Zillah, sr.

F Jordan Hansen, King's, sr.

G/F Andrew Hommes, Lynden Christian, sr.

F Jason Grant, Toppenish, sr.

G Bradley Swillie, Life Christian Academy, sr.

THE FAVORITE

King's freshman Cam Hiatt has emerged an immediate impact player and one of the top players in the state as a freshman / Photo by Vince Miller

King's made a state title run as a 14-seed in 2020. This year, a committee of humans rightly awarded the Knights, led by Idaho State pledge Jordan Hansen, the top seed. Playing a Rick Skeen-designed schedule, King's has the resume to back it up, logging wins over White River (2A), Gonzaga Prep (4A), Tahoma (4A), Seattle Academy (1A), King's Way (1A) and Quincy (1A) — all state tournament teams.

However, the Knights are no runaway favorite...

THE FIELD

Lynden Christian and King's played to an overtime instant classic in the 2020 1A title. Will they rematch? Or will a talented field play spoil? / Photo by Scott Butner

No. 2 Lynden Christian finished the year the RPI No. 1, escaped an always-tough Northwest Conference and beat a talented upstart Annie Wright group to earn a first round bye. While LC and King's have been Nos. 1 and 2 all year, the Lyncs face a tough path with a potential matchup with No. 3 Life Christian, the 2B runners-up in 2020 who have state title aspirations of their own, in the semifinals. No. 5 Toppenish may have won the season series with Zillah, and beat No. 4 Freeman in a regional road game, but don't count out the No. 6 Leopards, led by senior guard Clay Delp and high-scoring wing Luke Navarre. 

FINAL FOUR TEAMS

Toppenish, King's, Life Christian, Lynden Christian

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK

King's 85, Lynden Christian 84 (OT)

TICKET INFO

Four-day tournament pass is $50 for adults, $38 for students and senior citizens. Three-day tournament pass is $38/$30. Non-championship (Wed.-Fri.) single-day tickets are $15/$12. Championship (Sat.) single-day tickets are $16/$13.