Road to regionals: Washington high school (WIAA) 4A boys basketball preview, game picks

Defending state champion Mount Si is the No. 7 seed, and faces Auburn on Saturday

Drew Jones and Puyallup travel to Spokane to face No. 1 seed Gonzaga Prep at regionals. / Photo by Todd Milles

Only one more game separates WIAA state-championship hopefuls from the destination spot for Class 4A basketball: Tacoma Dome.

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

Here is the Class 4A regional boys basketball primer:

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CLASS 4A SCHEDULE (Bracket)

PROTECTED

1-seed Gonzaga Prep (22-2) vs. 8-seed Puyallup (20-6), 4 p.m. Saturday, West Valley HS, Spokane

2-seed Auburn (23-2) vs. 7-seed Mount Si (19-7), 6 p.m. Saturday, Auburn HS

3-seed Glacier Peak (21-2) vs. 6-seed West Valley of Yakima (17-5), 6 p.m. Friday, Jackson HS, Mill Creek

4-seed Richland (23-1) vs. 5-seed Camas (18-4), 8 p.m. Saturday, Richland HS

LOSER-OUT

9-seed Davis of Yakima (20-3) vs. No. 16-seed Woodinville (13-14), 8 p.m. Saturday, Davis HS

10-seed Olympia (21-5) vs. No. 15-seed North Creek (14-10), 4 p.m. Satrday, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma

11-seed Kentwood (19-6) vs. No. 14-seed Arlington (19-7), 2 p.m. Saturday, Auburn HS

12-seed Lake Washington (20-7) vs. No. 13-seed Emerald Ridge (19-7), 8 p.m. Friday, Lake Washington HS, Kirkland

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TOP DOG

Richland lost its only game in the final minute of the District 6 championship game at Gonzaga Prep - and dropped to the No. 4 seed. No squad in the tournament has the offensive firepower the Bombers boast - and now they have motivation to show who is boss.

CAN FILL IT UP

The list of guards with career games of 40 or more points is impressive: Jo Lee, of Glacier Peak; Landen Birley, of West Valley of Yakima; Landen Northrop, of Richland; Cesar Hernandez, of Davis of Yakima; and Leyton Martin, of Arlington. All can go off at any time.

CAN'T-MISS MATCHUP

Is Gonzaga Prep vulnerable as a 1-seed? Bullpups are as well-coached a team as there is in Washington, but face 4A SPSL champion Puyallup that has skill, height and good guard play, led by league MVP Drew Jones.

GAME PICKS

Gonzaga Prep over Puyallup

Auburn over Mount Si

Glacier Peak over West Valley of Yakima

Richland over Camas

Davis of Yakima over Woodinville

Olympia over North Creek

Kentwood over Arlington

Emerald Ridge over Lake Washington

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Playoff Pick 'Em

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

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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