Washington high school (WIAA) 4A/3A state boys basketball tournament: Live game recaps, highlights, top performers

Eight round-of-12 games on the east court going on all day at the Tacoma Dome. High School On SI Washington will keep you updated

Kaden Powers and Rainier Beach boys are loaded with scoring power in Class 3A championships. / Photo by Vince Miller

TACOMA, Wash. - The bright lights of the Tacoma Dome are on - and let's get ready for the the WIAA Class 4A and 3A boys basketball championships.

High School On SI Washington will provide game recaps, video highlight and top performers throughout Wednesday in round-of-12 loser-out games.

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CLASS 4A (Bracket)

Wednesday schedule (loser out)

Jake Willis tries to get loose on a drive for Arlington in WIAA showdown with 4A Wesco rival Glacier Peak on Wednesday. / Photo by Todd Milles

Glacier Peak 49, Arlington 42: Grizzlies boys coach Brian Hunter calls Josiah Lee a "shot-maker."

And in an effort to push past 4A Wesco rival Arlington, Lee sank some big shots coming down the home stretch to get the Grizzlies a third victory in the series.

The crucial one came with 21/2 minutes remaining and the shot clock winding down. Lee elevated on the left elbow and canned a contested 17-foot jump shot at the buzzer to give Glacier Peak a 43-36 lead.

"He's made a lot of those this year ... and I'm not surprised when he makes them," Hunter said. "It's not good coaching.

"You can't coach shot-making."

Thirty seconds later, Jayce Nelson convered a spin-move jumper in the lane to push the Glacier Peak (22-3) lead to 45-36 with 1:47 remaining.

Lee finished with a game-high 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Arlington standout Leyton Martin was defend closely by a host of double teams, and finished wiith 12 points and 11 rebounds.

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Daniel Johnson, 3, had a big fourth quarter leading Auburn past Olympia in a Class 4A round-of-12 game Wednesday. / Photo by Todd Milles

Auburn 56, Olympia 45: Not once did Auburn boys coach Ryan Hansen let his mind revisit last year's debacle against Lincoln when the Trojans blew a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter and were eliminated Wednesday.

Even when Olympia was rapidly erasing a 16-point deficit in the second half.

That is because Daniel Johnson had it all under control for the Trojans, finishing with a game-high 23 points, including the first eight points of the fourth quarter.

"He was really good," Hansen said. "He is a high-level player who can score at all three levels."

Johnson canned a left-side 3-pointer to push Auburn's lead to 48-40 early in the final quarter. But the Bears scored four quick points, including Juliana Zapata's putback basket that cut it to 48-44 with 5:58 to go.

But Johnson's offensive rebounding scrap on the other end was rewarded. He laid back a second miss and converted a three-point play.

A minute later, Johnson cruised down the right baseline for a layin, and Auburn led 53-45 with 2:55 remaining.

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Jackson Woodard and Richland pointed the way to the Class 4A quarterfinals with a win over Emerald Ridge on Wednesday. / Photo by Todd Milles

Richland 63, Emerald Ridge 54: Landen Northrop usually runs in scoring tandem with Lance Horntvedt, putting up big games together for the Bombers.

But with Horntvedt in foul trouble early in the second half, Northrop had no problem picking up the slack.

Northrop scored a game-high 29 points, including 10 coming in a crucial breakaway span with Horntvedt on the bench, and Richland - the reigning state runner-up - snapped its two-game skid over the Jaguars, who were making their first WIAA tournament trip in school history.

"Losses at this point of the season are horrific," Northrop said. "It really makes you want to win more."

Emerald Ridge cut it to 35-32 on two Jamaize McGriff free throws with five minutes to go in the third quarter. Northrop answered with a 3-pointer, triggering a 12-1 run to end the quarter. He scored 10 of those points as Richland held a 47-33 lead.

"I'd say I am always offensive-minded," Northrop said. "But I have to pick it up when Lance is out."

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Drew Jones sank a game-tying jump shot, and finished with 26 points in Puyallup's win over Davis of Yakima at the Class 4A tournament. / Photo by Todd Milles

Puyallup 64, Davis of Yakima 60: It was a tough way for longtime Pirates coach Eli Juarez to finish up an illustrious career.

Drew Jones scored a game-high 26 points as the Vikings won a wild game that came down to a controversial finish.

Davis stayed within striking distance throughout their battle with the Vikings (21-7), but never led until there was 1:15 remaining when junior David Vazquez’s baseline 3-pointer gave the Pirates the lead at 56-55.

The Pirates would extend that lead to 59-55 with 45 seconds left. Puyallup, however, closed the game on an 8-1 run to snatch the victory away from Davis.

Jones tied the game with baseline fadeaway in the final 15 seconds to tie the game at 60-60.

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Thursday schedule

Game 1: 3-seed Glacier Peak (22-3) vs. 5-seed Camas (19-4), 9 a.m.

Game 2: 2-seed Auburn (24-3) vs. 1-seed Gonzaga Prep (23-2), 10:30 a.m.

Game 3: 4-seed Richland (24-2) vs. 6-seed West Valley of Yakima (18-5), 12:15 p.m.

Game 4: 8-seed Puyallup (21-7) vs. 7-seed Mount Si (20-7), 2 p.m.

Weekend schedule

Semifinals Friday are at 3:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Championship Saturday is at 9 p.m.

TOP PERFORMERS

Landen Northrop, Richland

29 points, 11-24 FGs, 7 rebounds

Josiah Lee, Glacier Peak

26 points, 10-16 FGs

Drew Jones, Puyallup

26 points, 8-22 FGs

Daniel Johnson, Auburn

23 points, 4 3-pointers

Will Nasinec, Puyallup

20 points, 12 rebounds

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CLASS 3A (Bracket)

Wednesday schedule (loser out)

Just like their bi-district encounter, Lincoln held off Federal Way in the final seconds in the Class 3A boys tournament Wednesday. / Photo by Todd Milles

Lincoln of Tacoma 53, Federal Way 48: Ryan Rogers loves the WIAA championships, if nothing for the simple fact that it can be anybody's time to shine.

On Wednesday, it was sophomore Uriah Wilson's moment for glory.

Off the bench, Wilson sank four 3-pointers, including a final one of the left corner with three minutes remaining as the Abes survived.

Wilson's final field goal gave Lincoln a 48-43 lead.

"That is what we really try and preach to our kids is that you never know when your opportunity is going to come," Lincoln boys coach Ryan Rogers said.

Federal Way closed to 50-48 on two Brayden McVey free throws, and had possession to tie or take the lead in the final 20 seconds. But Kasey Williams forced a turnover by the basket for the Abes.

Davion Shareef-Dulaney made two free throws with 10.3 seconds remaining to give Lincoln a 52-48 lead.

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Keaundre Morris and Rainier Beach flew by Eastside Catholic in the Class 3A boys nightcap. / Photo by Todd Milles

Rainier Beach 82, Eastside Catholic 45: The No. 1 Vikings shockingly were beaten by Bellarmine Prep in a Class 3A regional game Saturday in Bellevue.

And they are still miffed about it.

"Honestly, we are very angy," Rainier Beach guard Jaylen Petty said.

And on Wednesday in the WIAA tournament, the Vikings played like they were ready to go 12 rounds with Mike Tyson, landing blow after blow in planting their Metro League rival, ending the Crusaders reign as state champions.

It was also their fourth victory over Eastside Catholic this season.

Rainier Beach shot 50 percent from the floor in the Tacoma Dome nightcap, making 10 3-pointers. Kaden Powers led all scorers with 22 points while Petty - who is nursing a foot injury - added 19 points, including three 3-pointers.

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Jaden Ghoreishi, 1, scored a game-high 24 points, leading Mount Spokane past Monroe in the Class 3A boys basketball tournament Wednesday. / Photo by Todd Milles

Mount Spokane 48, Monroe 39: Because of injuries, Wildcats. coach David Wagenblast admitted he's used so many different starting lineups, he has lost count how many.

What he has had consistently to keep his team's season afloat into the WIAA quarterfinals is the high-end services of Jaden Ghoreishi. a 6-foot-7 forward.

Ghoreishi had a game-high 24 points and 18 rebounds, leading Mount Spokane past the Bearcats.

He had 16 of those points in the first half.

"He really rose to the occasion today," Wagenblast said.

Trailing by as many as 15 points, Monroe finally got something going midway through the fourth quarter, cutting it to 37-29 on Caden Ganashaoorthy's bucket withg 4:47 to go.

On Mount Spokane's next trip, Ghoreishi calmly stepped back on a 3-pointer, and buried the Bearcats for good.

"It's state - it's lose or go home," Ghoreishi said.

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Brody Treves and Bellevue found a way to beat KingCo rival Liberty for a third time this season, this time in the Class 3A boys tournament Wednesday. / Photo by Todd Milles

Bellevue 52, Liberty 44: It was another rivalry game in the Tacoma Dome on Wednesday - one in which the Wolverines have found ways to win.

And they did it again by riding their leader - senior Bryce Smith.

Bellevue held the Patriots without a field goal for the first 6:13 of the final quarter, pulling away for a victory.

Smith was everywhere - on both ends. He had all nine of his points in the second half, to go along with 14 rebounds, five assists, three steals and a blocked shot.

"He's our engine," Wolverines boys coach Kelly Edwards said. "How he goes, we go. We put a lot on his shoulders, but he's always showed up for us."

His inside bucket to start the fourth quarter triggered a 10-2 run to give Bellevue a 48-39 lead with 1:57 remaining.

Tayten Jones picked up the scoring slack for the Wolverines with 19 points.

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Thursday schedule

Game 1: 6-seed Lincoln of Tacoma (26-4) vs. 5-seed Edmonds-Woodway (24-2), 3:45 p.m.

Game 2: 2-seed Mount Spokane (18-8) vs. 8-seed Bellarmine Prep (23-7), 5:30 p.m.

Game 3: 4-seed Bellevue (22-6) vs. 3-seed Garfield (19-7), 7:15 p.m.

Game 4: 1-seed Rainier Beach (25-3) vs. 7-seed Seattle Prep (18-10), 9 p.m.

Weekend schedule

Semifinals Friday are at 7:15 p.m. and 9 p.m. Championship Saturday is at 5 p.m.

TOP PERFORMERS

Jaden Ghoreishi, Mount Spokane

24 points, 18 rebounds

Jackson Whitaker, Liberty

24 points, 7-16 FG, 6 rebounds

Kaden Powers, Rainier Beach

22 points, 9-15 FGs, 8 rebounds

Brayden McVey, Federal Way

20 points, 12 rebounds

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