Washington (WIAA) 4A high school girls basketball state tournament: 2024 predictions, top players

Top-seeded Camas has long waited for its final shot at a WIAA title with core group, but will others have a say in preventing that from happening?

After four grueling days of basketball at the Tacoma Dome this week, somebody will be dancing with the big WIAA gold ball Saturday night.

Eastlake 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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Photo by Todd Milles

CLASS 4A TOURNAMENT (Bracket)

(Wednesday first-round games in Tacoma)

G1: No. 11 Emerald Ridge (19-7) vs. No. 6 Bothell (20-6), 9 a.m. (Winner plays No. 4 Sumner at 9 a.m. Thursday)

G2: No. 10 Bellarmine Prep (18-8) vs. No. 7 Tahoma (20-4), 10:30 a.m. (Winner plays No. 1 Camas at 10:30 a.m. Thursday)

G3: No. 12 Eastlake (18-9) vs. No. 5 Davis of Yakima (18-5), 12:15 p.m. (Winner plays No. 3 Kamiakin at 12:15 p.m. Thursday)

G4: No. 9 Lake Stevens (19-4) vs. No. 8 Gonzaga Prep (19-6), 2 p.m. (Winner plays No. 2 Woodinville at 2 p.m. Thursday)

Semifinals Friday: 3:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Championship game Saturday: 5 p.m.

FAVORITE: Camas

Papermakers endured a rugged out-of-state schedule, defeated Oregon champion Clackamas and three-time defending 3A champion Garfield - and are the slickest-passing, stingiest-defending squad in the bracket.

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Photo by Todd Milles

FAB FIVE

F Jaecy Eggers, Woodinville, sr. (16.1 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 3.4 apg)

G Esmeralda Galindo, Davis of Yakima, sr. (21.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg)

F Addison Harris, Camas, sr. (17.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg)

G Lainee Houillon, Sumner, sr. (16.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.3 apg, 3.9 steals)

G Nicole Wertenberger, Kamiakin, sr. (17.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.5 apg)

PLAYER TO WATCH: Addison Harris, Camas

Her work rate is non-stop. She goes over taller players for rebounds and putbacks. And the Montana State signee has become the team's steadiest 3-point shooter. To beat the Papermakers, you have to outplay her.

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Photo by Ken Nowaczyk

PREDICTIONS

First-round picks:

Bothell over Emerald Ridge

Bellarmine Prep over Tahoma

Eastlake over Davis of Yakima

Gonzaga Prep over Lake Stevens

Quarterfinal picks:

Sumner over Bothell

Camas over Bellarmine Prep

Kamiakin over Eastlake

Woodinville over Gonzaga Prep

Semifinal picks:

Camas over Sumner

Kamiakin over Woodinville

Championship pick:

Camas 56, Kamiakin 51

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