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

Two-time defending state champion Neah Bay hosts Pateros on Saturday in Tacoma

Morgan Lentz and Garfield-Palouse are Class 1B girls basketball contenders in 2024-25. / Photo by John Gehring

Only one more game separates WIAA state-championship hopefuls from the destination spot for Class 1B basketball: Spokane Arena

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

Here is the Class 1B regional girls basketball primer:

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CLASS 1B SCHEDULE (Bracket)

PROTECTED

1-seed Neah Bay (20-1) vs. 8-seed Pateros (19-5), 2 p.m. Saturday, Mount Tahoma HS, Tacoma

2-seed Waterville-Mansfield (20-3) vs. 7-seed Pe Ell (21-0), noon Saturday, Wenatchee HS

3-seed Garfield-Palouse (21-2) vs. 6-seed Inchelium (20-2), 8 p.m. Friday, Cheney HS

4-seed Yakama Tribal (19-3) vs. 5-seed Wellpinit (21-2), 6 p.m. Friday, Davis HS, Yakima

LOSER-OUT

9-seed Lummi Nation (22-4) vs. No. 16 Muckleshoot Tribal, 8 p.m. Friday, Mount Vernon HS

10-seed Oaksdale (18-5) vs. No. 15 Taholah, 4 p.m. Saturday, Cheney HS

11-seed Sunnyside Christian (19-5) vs. No. 14 Almira-Coulee-Hartline, 4 p.m. Saturday, Davis HS, Yakima

12-seed Crosspoint (17-7) vs. No. 13 Wilbur-Creston-Keller, 4 p.m. Saturday, Mount Tahoma HS, Tacoma

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TOP DOG

Neah Bay might not have the scoring ceiling it has had during its previous two state-championship seasons, but the Lady Reds are playing the same level of physical, suffocating pressure defense, led by guard Cerise Moss.

CAN FILL IT UP

Almira-Coulee-Hartline point guard Naomi Molitor might only be 5-foot-4, but the quick-moving junior is a walking bucket - a three-level scorer who is difficult to track. Also the reigning Class '1B' girls golf champion.

CAN'T-MISS MATCHUP

Is 21-0 Pe Ell for real? The Trojans have a good interior duo, led by Peyton Zock. But they are taking a huge step up in level of competition in traveling to face second-seeded Waterville-Mansfield in Wenatchee.

GAME PICKS

Neah Bay over Pateros

Waterville-Mansfield over Pe Ell

Garfield-Palouse over Inchelium

Wellpinit over Yakama Tribal

Lummi Nation vs. Muckleshoot Tribal/Mary M. Knight winner

Oakesdale vs. Taholah/Evergreen Lutheran winner

Sunnyside Christian vs. ACH/Willapa Valley winner

Crosspoint vs. Wilbur-Creston-Keller/Summit Classical Christian winner

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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 GIRLS BASKETBALL RANKINGS

CLASS 4A RANKINGS

1. Davis of Yakima (20-2)

2. Chiawana (22-1)

3. Lake Washington (23-4)

4. Woodinville (23-4)

5. Union (20-3)

6. Camas (19-6)

7. Auburn (19-6)

8. Sumner (222-4)

9. Mead (16-7)

10. Issaquah (19-11)

Others: Redmond (22-4), Emerald Ridge (18-7), Kennedy Catholic (18-6), Lake Stevens (16-7).

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CLASS 3A RANKINGS

1. Central Valley (23-0)

2. North Thurston (26-1)

3. Lakeside of Seattle (22-4)

4. White River (22-3)

5. Seattle Prep (20-7)

6. Ridgeline (20-4)

7. Eastside Catholic (15-11)

8. Kennewick (17-6)

9. Roosevelt (17-9)

10. Stanwood (20-4)

Others: Bellevue (20-6), Garfield (13-9), Meadowdale (17-6), River Ridge (20-7).

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CLASS 2A RANKINGS

1. Lynden (24-0)

2. Ellensburg (24-0)

3. Deer Park (23-0)

4. W.F. West (23-1)

5. Archbishop Murphy (22-2)

6. Prosser (21-4)

7. Columbia River (20-3)

8. Woodland (17-4)

9. Bainbridge (19-5)

10. Eatonville (19-3)

Others: Port Angeles (17-6).

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CLASS 1A RANKINGS

1. Lynden Christian (18-3)

2. Bellevue Christian (21-2)

3. King's (17-7)

4. Zillah (20-3)

5. Annie Wright (19-5)

6. Seton Catholic (18-6)

7. Cashmere (17-7)

8. Naches Valley (20-5)

9. Nooksack Valley (16-8)

10. Montesano (17-7)

Others: Wapato (14-10), Cedar Park Christian (15-7), King's Way Christian (16-5).

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CLASS 2B RANKINGS

1. Adna (21-2)

2. Rainier (20-3)

3. Reardan (19-2)

4. Brewster (20-4)

5. Napavine (19-6)

6. Mount Vernon Christian (19-3)

7. Cle Elum-Roslyn (18-5)

8. Northwest Christian of Colbert (19-4)

9. Mabton (22-4)

10. Columbia of Burbank (17-7)

Others: Liberty of Spangle (19-7).

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CLASS 1B RANKINGS

1. Neah Bay (20-1)

2. Garfield-Palouse (21-2)

3. Waterville-Mansfield (20-3)

4. Yakama Tribal (19-3)

5. Wellpinit (21-2)

6. Pateros (19-5)

7. Inchelium (20-2)

8. Oakesdale (18-5)

9. Lummi (22-4)

10. Sunnyside Christian (19-5)

Others: Pe Ell (21-0), Wilbur-Creston-Keller (14-6), Crosspoint (17-7), Taholah (17-6).

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