Road to regionals: Washington high school (WIAA) 1A boys basketball preview, game picks

Defending state champion Zillah is the tournament's No. 4 seed, and opens with King's in Yakima

Dekker Van de Graaf and Zillah boys continue to be one of the elite teams in the Class 1A rankings - and are reigning WIAA champions. / Photo by Sean Carter

Only one more game separates WIAA state-championship hopefuls from the destination spot for Class 1A basketball: Yakima SunDome.

Starting Friday, 16 teams play in the regional round of the WIAA playoffs - with 12 schools advancing to the state tournament in Yakima.

Here is the Class 1A regional boys basketball primer:

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CLASS 1A SCHEDULE (Bracket)

PROTECTED

1-seed Annie Wright (19-2) vs. 8-seed Bear Creek (18-5), 8 p.m. Saturday, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma

2-seed Royal (23-1) vs. 7-seed Meridian (17-7), 8 p.m. Friday, Ellensburg HS

3-seed Lynden Christian (21-2) vs. 6-seed Seton Catholic (18-5), 4 p.m. Saturday, Mount Vernon HS

4-seed Zillah (19-4) vs. 5-seed King's (18-4), 2 p.m. Saturday, Davis HS, Yakima

LOSER-OUT

9-seed Chelan (21-5) vs. No. 16-seed Tenino (10-13), 10 a.m. Saturday, Wenatchee HS

10-seed Riverside(16-5) vs. No. 15-seed Overlake (14-9), noon. Saturday, West Valley HS, Spokane

11-seed Cashmere (18-8) vs. No. 14-seed La Center (15-8), 2 p.m. Saturday, Wenatchee HS

12-seed Bellevue Christian (18-5) vs. No. 13-seed Fort Vancouver (17-6), 6 p.m. Friday, Issaquah HS

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TOP DOG

Reigning state runner-up Annie Wright crashed the Les Schwab Invitational as a late arrival in December, placing third. And outside a loss to Class 3A contender Bellevue, the Gators have been rolling ever since, led by dynamic and efficient point guard Jeremiah Harshman.

CAN FILL IT UP

Gannon Dykstra does it all for Lynden Christian. But what the returning all-state second-team guard can really do is pile up points, attacking defenses at all three levels. He will show the state over the next two weeks how good he really is.

CAN'T-MISS MATCHUP

The Royal-Meridian game could be this weekend's "black and blue" affair as both teams play with great physicality. And while the Knights have a higher scoring ceiling, expect Meridian coach Shane Stacy to have a game-plan curve ball up his sleeve to give the Knights something to think about.

GAME PICKS

Annie Wright over Bear Creek

Royal over Meridian

Lynden Christian over Seton Catholic

Zillah over King's

Chelan over Tenino

Riverside over Overlake

Cashmere over La Center

Fort Vancouver over Bellevue Christian

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Playoff Pick 'Em

High School on Si 2025 Playoff Pick 'Em Challenge / Graphic illustration by Jesus Baca

Playoff Pick 'Em is a brand-new bracket prediction challenge for high school sports, where users compete to pick the most accurate bracket. The contest is free-to-play and is available nationwide for most sports on High School On SI. Enter today and pick your favorite teams to take home the title!

High School On SI is celebrating the WIAA Hardwood Classic and the road to the Tacoma Dome with a $500 prize to the winners of the 4A Boys and 4A Girls brackets in the Playoff Pick 'Em Challenge. Enter for free today!

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SBLIVE FINAL WASHINGTON BOYS BASKETBALL RANKINGS

CLASS 4A RANKINGS

1. Richland (23-1)

2. Glacier Peak (21-2)

3. Auburn (23-2)

4. Gonzaga Prep (22-2)

5. Mount Si (19-7)

6. Camas (18-4)

7. West Valley of Yakima (17-5)

8. Puyallup (20-6)

9. Davis of Yakima (20-3)

10. Kentwood (19-6)

Others: Olympia (21-5), Arlington (19-7), Lake Washington (20-7), Emerald Ridge (19-7).

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CLASS 3A RANKINGS

1. Rainier Beach (24-2)

2. Bellevue (21-5)

3. Garfield (18-7)

4. Lincoln of Tacoma (25-3)

5. Edmonds-Woodway (23-2)

6. Seattle Prep (17-10)

7. Mount Spokane (17-7)

8. Monroe (21-3)

9. Shorecrest (21-3)

10. Auburn Mountainview (22-2)

Others: Federal Way (19-4), Eastside Catholic (13-14), Liberty of Issaquah (16-8). Bellarmine Prep (22-7).

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CLASS 2A RANKINGS

1. Lynden (23-1)

2. R.A. Long (22-1)

3. Selah (19-4)

4. Bremerton (18-5)

5. Prosser (19-7)

6. Mark Morris (20-4)

7. West Valley of Spokane (20-3)

8. Lakewood (18-6)

9. Columbia River (18-5)

10. Franklin Pierce (19-4)

Others: Bainbridge (18-5), Sequim (18-4), Ridgefield (15-8), Foster (18-7)

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CLASS 1A RANKINGS

1. Annie Wright (19-2)

2. Lynden Christian (21-2)

3. Royal (23-1)

4. Zillah (19-4)

5. King's (18-4)

6. Seton Catholic (18-5)

7. Riverside (16-5)

8. Meridian (17-7)

9. Bear Creek (18-5)

10. Chelan (21-5)

Others: Bellevue Christian (18-5), Cashmere (18-8), Fort Vancouver (17-6), Wapato (15-10).

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CLASS 2B RANKINGS

1. Columbia of Burbank (23-1)

2. Freeman (20-3)

3. Reardan (21-2)

4. Colfax (20-3)

5. Lake Roosevelt (21-4)

6. Northwest Christian of Colbert (18-7)

7. Toledo (22-3)

8. Tri-Cities Prep (20-5)

9. Napavine (21-3)

10. Okanogan (19-6)

Others: Adna (19-5), La Salle (18-7), Liberty Bell (15-10), Rainier (15-10).

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CLASS 1B RANKINGS

1. Almira-Coulee-Hartline (22-1)

2. DeSales (22-1)

3. Moses Lake Christian (19-2)

4. Lummi (22-3)

5. Willapa Valley (21-2)

6. Tulalip Heritage (20-3)

7. Neah Bay (18-4)

8. Wellpinit (18-6)

9. Summit Classical (21-6)

10. Columbia Adventist (18-4)

Others: Muckleshoot Tribal (18-5), Inchelium (17-4), Sound Christian Academy (19-6), Sunnyside Christian (18-8).

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