Washington (WIAA) 2A high school girls basketball state tournament: 2024 predictions, top players
After four grueling days of basketball at the Yakima Valley SunDome this week, somebody will be dancing with the big WIAA gold ball Saturday night.
Ellensburg returns as the defending state champion, but a host of contending hopefuls are waiting for their shot.
Here are SBLive WA's teams and players to watch, and round-by-round predictions - complete with a championship-game pick.
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CLASS 2A TOURNAMENT (Bracket)
(Wednesday first-round games in Yakima)
G1: No. 14 West Valley of Spokane (14-9) vs. No. 3 W.F. West (20-4), 9 a.m. (Winner plays No. 4 Prosser at 9 a.m. Thursday)
G2: No. 10 Sammamish (17-7) vs. No. 7 White River (20-4), 10:30 a.m. (Winner plays No. 1 Ellensburg at 10:30 a.m. Thursday)
G3: No. 12 Enumclaw (16-8) vs. No. 5 Clarkston (23-1), 12:15 p.m. (Winner plays No. 6 Archbishop Murphy at 12:15 p.m. Thursday)
G4: No. 9 Ridgefield (20-3) vs. No. 8 Columbia River (18-7), 2 p.m. (Winner plays No. 2 Lynden at 2 p.m. Thursday)
Semifinals Friday: 3:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Championship game Saturday: 5 p.m.
FAVORITE: Ellensburg
A team that has won 73 consecutive games and the past two WIAA titles deserves the nod. They still have the best on-ball perimeter defender in 1A in PG Jamison Philip, who has a bevy of skilled targets to distribute the ball to.
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FAB FIVE
C Julia Dalan, W.F. West, jr. (24.2 ppg, 14.8 rpg, 4.9 blocks)
G Chloe Deharo, West Valley of Spokane, sr. (29.4 ppg, 7.0 apg, 4.0 rpg)
G Brooke Blachly, Archbishop Murphy, soph. (21.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.0 apg)
G Finley Parcher, Lynden, fr. (16.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg)
G Jamison Philip, Ellensburg, jr. (7.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.5 steals)
PLAYER TO WATCH: Julia Dalan, W.F. West
Every team that draws the Bearcats will wince putting together a scouting report. How do you stop one of the strongest, most-skilled post players in the state who has expanded her game to the 3-point stripe? Good luck.
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PREDICTIONS
First-round picks:
W.F. West over West Valley of Spokane
White River over Sammamish
Clarkston over Enumclaw
Columbia River over Ridgefield
Quarterfinal picks:
W.F. West over Prosser
Ellensburg over White River
Clarkston over Archbishop Murphy
Lynden over Columbia River
Semifinal picks:
Ellensburg over W.F. West
Lynden over Clarkston
Championship pick:
Lynden 47, Ellensburg 44
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