Prep zone

What to watch Friday

Donald Gaddy extended Bellarmine Prep’s season with a 28-footer at the buzzer in overtime on Wednesday. Now the Lions have to beat a surging Beamer team in a 4A West Central District game that’s trying to get to the state tournament for the first time.
Where: Auburn
Time: 6 p.m.

One state trophy-caliber team won’t even qualify for the tournament after tonight’s WCD loser-out game pitting Kentwood and Kentridge. These teams split a two-game series in the regular season; expect a hard-fought, close contest.
Where: Auburn
Time: 8 p.m.

Tacoma Baptist meets Quilcene in a winner-to-state, loser-out game in the 2B Tri-District boys tournament. The Crusaders are trying to reach state for the first time since 2006.
Where: Chief Leschi
Time: 3 p.m.

Thursday’s highlights

Lakes coach JoJo Rodriguez gets intense during the Lancers' game against North Kitsap on Thursday. His mood improved, as Lakes won the 3A West Central District-Southwest bi-district tournament contest, 66-60.

Lakes clinched a state berth with a 66-60 win over North Kitsap.

The Bellarmine Prep and South Kitsap girls are headed to the 4A state tournament.

Jayson Lewis scored 20 points, leading Enumclaw to a 65-58 win over North Thurston and a 3A state tournament berth. Erik Henly poured in 31 points for the Rams.

Unranked Foster stunned Seamount League champion Renton in the first round of the 3A WCD-SW bi-district tournament, winning 55-54 and clinching a state berth. The Bulldogs, who reached the 2A state tournament in each of the last two seasons, will face Lakes in the semifinals.

Greater St. Helens League champion Union nipped Mount Rainier, 75-74, in the 3A WCD-SW bi-district tourney to secure a state berth. The Titans rallied from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Capital ended Clover Park’s season, winning 64-50 in a 3A WCD-SW bi-district tournament loser-out game at Puyallup. The Cougars, who got 17 points from Jody Ruiz and 15 from Colin Bosio, will next face Mount Rainier in a loser-out game at Auburn Riverside on Saturday. Tana Pritchard scored 29 for the Warriors.

Complete results from all of Thursday's games are here.

I've updated the orginal post and everything here is current as of the afternoon of Friday, Feb. 27.

CLASS 4A

Northwest District
State berths: Three
Clinched: Mariner, Mountlake Terrace
Still dreaming: Lake Stevens, Stanwood
The lowdown: Mariner and Mountlake Terrace will play on Saturday for the district title and the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds to the state tournament. Stanwood and Lake Stevens will play Friday in a winner-to-state, loser-out game.

View the bracket here.

KingCo/Greater St. Helens tournament
State berths: Four
Clinched: Garfield (19-3), Inglemoor (17-5)
Still dreaming: Heritage (12-10), Mountain View (11-9), Redmond (13-9), Roosevelt (12-10)
The lowdown: The KingCo and Greater St. Helens League have pooled their state berths in this bi-district tournament. But KingCo’s Crown and Crest division champions will get the top two seeds to state. Those seeds will be decided when Garfield plays Inglemoor in the league title game at 8:15 p.m. Friday at Juanita. On Saturday, Redmond hosts Mountain View, while Roosevelt travels to Heritage in a pair of loser-out, winner-to-state games.

View the bracket here.

West Central District
State berths: Six
Clinched: Curtis, Decatur, Federal Way, Foss
Still dreaming: Beamer, Bellarmine Prep, Kentridge, Kentwood
The lowdown: Did you know that a Narrows League team has won 10 of the last 12 WCD titles? On Saturday, Foss will play Federal Way in the final. Curtis and Decatur will square off for the Nos. 3 and 6 seeds. In Friday's winner-to-state, loser-out games, Bellarmine Prep plays Beamer and Kentwood gets Kentridge. I'm expecting some great games on Friday.

View the bracket here.

Eastern Regional
State berths: Three
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Eisenhower (22-1), Wenatchee (15-9), Richland (14-9), Gonzaga Prep (20-2), Lewis and Clark (13-10), Pasco (16-8), Davis (10-14), Walla Walla (17-6)
The lowdown: Richland shocked GSL champion Gonzaga Prep in the first round and will play Eisenhower on Friday in a winner-to-state game. Lewis and Clark and Walla Walla will go head-to-head in the other semifinal.

View the bracket here.

CLASS 3A

Northwest District
State berths: Two
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Everett, Ferndale, Glacier Peak, Lynnwood, Meadowdale, Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley, Shorecrest
The lowdown: WesCo No. 4 seed Lynnwood shocked NWC No. 1 Mount Vernon, beating the Bulldogs, 57-54, on Wednesday. The Royals will play Glacier Peak and Ferndale will face Meadowdale in the semifinals.

View the bracket here.

Sea-King District
State berths: Five
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Bellevue (21-1), Cleveland (6-13), Chief Sealth (14-7), Franklin (21-1), Mount Si (14-7), O’Dea (15-6), Rainier Beach (14-7), Seattle Prep (17-6)
The lowdown: Giant-killer Bainbridge, which had wins over Franklin and Rainier Beach this season, was eliminated in the first round. So was state-tournament staple Mercer Island. This tournament is deep with talented teams. I don't think we've seen our last upset.

View the bracket here.

West Central/Southwest Bi-District
State berths: Seven
Clinched: Lakes, Foster, Union, Enumclaw
Still dreaming: Franklin Pierce, Columbia River, Renton, Mount Rainier, Kennedy, North Thurston, North Kitsap, Timberline, Olympic, Capital
The lowdown: Four teams clinched state berths on Thursday. The biggest upset was Foster beating Renton. That means the Indians must face Columbia River, a preseason top-5 team, in a loser-out game on Saturday.

View the bracket here.

Eastern Regional
State berths: Two
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Rogers (Spokane) (9-13), Shadle Park (18-4), Sunnyside (10-10), Yakima West Valley (13-7)
The lowdown: Sunnyside and Rogers each won first-round loser-out gams. Semifinal matchups: Sunnyside vs. Shadle Park and Rogers vs. Yakima West Valley.

View the bracket here.

I've gone through and updated all the tournament information. Everything is current as of the afternoon on Friday, Feb. 27.

CLASS 4A

Northwest District
State berths: Three
Clinched: Kamiak (16-6), Snohomish (20-2)
Still dreaming: Jackson (18-4), Oak Harbor (14-8)
The lowdown: Snohomish and Kamiak meet for the district title and Nos. 1 and 2 seeds at 6 p.m. Saturday. In two loser-out games on Wednesday, Oak Harbor beat Edmonds-Woodway and Jackson beat Marysville-Pilchuck. Those two will play on Friday for the No. 3 seed to state and the loser goes home.

View the bracket here.

KingCo/Greater St. Helens League
State berths: Four
Clinched: Eastlake, Issaquah
Still dreaming: Garfield , Newport, Kelso, Skyview
The lowdown: Eastlake and Issaquah will play for the KingCo title and the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds to state on Friday. Newport travels to GSHL champion Skyview and Kelso visits Garfield on Saturday in winner-to-state, loser-out games.

View the bracket here.

West Central District
State berths: Six
Clinched: Auburn Riverside, Federal Way, Kentwood, Mount Tahoma, Bellarmine Prep, South Kitsap
Still dreaming: none
The lowdown: Bellarmine Prep is the No. 4 seed and South Kitsap is the No. 5 seed. On Saturday, Auburn Riverside and Kentwood will play for the title and Federal Way and Mount Tahoma meet for the third and sixth seeds.

View the bracket here.

Eastern Regional
State berths: Three
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Eastmont, Kamiakin, Lewis and Clark, Mead, Moses Lake, Pasco, Richland, Walla Walla
The lowdown: The semifinal winner-to-state games are set: Moses Lake vs. Mead and Walla Walla vs. Pasco. Yes, two-time defending champion Lewis and Clark was bounced to the loser's bracket when it lost 70-52 to Walla Walla.

View the bracket here.

CLASS 3A

Northwest District
State berths: Two
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Everett, Ferndale, Glacier Peak, Lynnwood, Meadowdale, Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley, Shorecrest
The lowdown: No upsets so far. Here are the semifinals: Glacier Peak vs. Ferndale and Meadowdale vs. Mount Vernon.

View the bracket here.

Sea-King District
State berths: Five
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Cleveland, Franklin, Holy Names, Lakeside, Mercer Island, Nathan Hale, Rainier Beach, Seattle Prep
The lowdown: In Thursday night's games, Lakeside beat Rainier Beach and Franklin topped Seattle Prep. The winners play a winner-to-state game on Tueday, the same day the losers meet in a loser-out contest.

In the bottom half of the bracket, unheralded Cleveland stunned Bainbridge in a loser-out first-round game, sending the Spartans back to the island for good. KingCo took a beating in the first round as Liberty, Bellevue and Mount Si were all eliminated.

View the bracket here.

West Central-Southwest Bi-District Tournament
State berths: Seven
Clinched: Prairie, Yelm, Kennedy, White River
Still dreaming: Columbia River, Bonney Lake, Port Angeles, Lindbergh, Hazen, Mount Rainier, Enumclaw, Auburn Mountainview, Olympic, North Kitsap
The lowdown: Yelm, White River, Kennedy and Prairie all clinched state berths on Wednesday. We've got four loser-out games on Friday.

View the bracket here.

Eastern Regional
State berths: Two
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Hanford, North Central, Shadle Park, Yakima West Valley
The lowdown: North Central won its third game of the year when it beat Spokane East Valley, 52-42, in a loser-out first-round game. NC moves on to play Yakima West Valleyt in the semifinals. Hanford meets Shadle Park in the other semifinal.

View the bracket here.

I have updated the original post. Here's where everything stands as of the afternoon of Thursday, Feb. 26.

CLASS 2A

Northwest District
State berths: Four
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: South Whidbey, Burlington-Edison, Sehome, Archbishop Murphy, Bellingham, Sultan, Squalicum, Anacortes.
The lowdown: Burlington-Edison, Sehome, Sultan and Squalicum all won first-round games on Thursday. Saturday's schedule:
Winner-to-state games
Burlington-Sehome
Sultan-Squalicum
Loser-out games
South Whidbey-ATM
Bellingham-Anacortes

View the bracket here.

West Central District
State berths: Three
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Klahowya, Steilacoom, Eatonville, Sequim, North Mason, Fife
The lowdown: This tournament, with teams from the Nisqually League and Olympic League, begins Saturday. North Mason and Fife have first-round byes.

View the bracket here.

Southwest District
State berths: Four
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: R.A. Long, Tumwater, Hockinson, River Ridge, Ridgefield, Centralia, Black Hills, Mark Morris
The lowdown: R.A. Long beat Aberdeen in a play-in game on Tuesday and now visits River Ridge in the first round on Saturday. Mark Morris must be considered the tournament favorite and will play Black Hills in the first round.

CWAC
State berths: Three
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Ellensburg, Toppenish, Quincy, Selah, Grandview, Wapato
The lowdown: On Friday, Ellensburg plays Quincy and Toppenish is at Selah. The winner of the first game gets Grandview and the winner of the second game gets Wapato in a pair of winner-to-state contests. But the double-elimination tournament will see one team from the loser's bracket make its way to state.

View the bracket here.

Great Northern League
State berths: Two
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Colville, Clarkston, Pullman, Medical Lake, Cheney, Spokane West Valley
The lowdown: Thanks to Mike Vlahovich of the Spokesmanp-Review, I have obtained a copy of the GNL bracket. The tournament begins Saturday, with Medical Lake visiting Cheney and Colville playing at Clarkston. Spokane West Valley is the tournament's No. 1 seed.

CLASS 1A

Tri-District (Cascade Conference, Northwest Conference, Nisqually League, Emerald City, Olympic League)
State berths: Five
Clinched: King’s, Seattle Academy, Vashon
Still dreaming: Cascade Christian, Bellevue Christian, Port Townsend, University Prep
The lowdown: On Friday, Vashon will play King's for the right to meet Seattle Academy in the title game on Saturday. The loser of the Vashon-King's game gets the No. 3 seed to state. We've got a pair of winner-to-state, loser-out games on Saturday, too, in Cascade Christian-Bellevue Christian and Port Townsend-University Prep. Cascade Christian and Bellevue Christian are both state trophy-caliber teams, but one of them will be left home.

View the bracket here.

Southwest District
State berths: Four
Clinched: Winlock, Castle Rock
Still dreaming: Kalama, Ilwaco
The lowdown: Winlock and Castle Rock will play for the district’s Nos. 1 and 2 seeds to state at 8 p.m. Friday at W.F. West. On Wednesday, Kalama beat Onalaska and Ilwaco beat Stevenson in a pair of winner-to-state, loser-out games. Ilwaco and Stevenson will play Friday for state seeding.

View the bracket here.

SCAC
State berths: Four
Clinched: Highland, Granger
Still dreaming: Connell (18-4), Naches Valley (15-7), Wahluke (13-9), Burbank (11-11)
The lowdown: Highland and Granger play for the top two seeds to state Saturday. Two earlier games on Saturday -– Connell vs. Naches Valley and Wahluke vs. Burbank –- are winner-to-state, loser-out contests.

View the bracket here.

Caribou Trail/Northeast
State berths: Three
Clinched: None
Still dreaming: Chelan, Freeman, Lake Roosevelt, Brewster
The lowdown: In Wednesday's loser-out games, Chelan beat Chewelah, Freeman beat Cascade and Lake Roosevelt beat Lakeside. On Tuesday, Brewster beat Omak in a loser-out game.

View the bracket here.

Former Bellarmine Prep star Avery Bradley has helped Findlay Prep rise to No. 2 in USA Today's national rankings. The University of Texas-bound guard has also accumulated quite a few frequent flier miles.

I saw a story on prep hoops teams traveling long distances for games come over the wire and Bradley's Findlay Prep is featured prominently. He's also quoted in the story.

Here it is:

Some prep teams log big miles for games

By NANCY ARMOUR
The Associated Press

It was almost 2 a.m. by the time the Findlay players tumbled into bed at the hotel, the end of yet another long day of carrying bags through airports, waiting in security lines and cramming their long, lanky frames into airplane seats for a cross-country flight.

A few hours’ sleep in beds far from their suburban Las Vegas homes, and it was time to get ready for their first game. It’s a schedule minor leaguers and some college players know all too well.

The Findlay Pilots, however, are still in high school.

And trips like that are hardly unusual for many top prep basketball programs.

=> Read more!

THURSDAY
BOYS BASKETBALL
3A WCD-SW District tournament
At Clover Park
Game 1: Lakes vs. North Kitsap, 8 p.m. (winner to state)
Game 2: Camas vs. Franklin Pierce, 6 p.m. (loser out)
At Mount Rainier
Game 3: Foster vs. Renton, 8 p.m. (winner to state)
At Franklin Pierce
Game 4: Bremerton vs. Columbia River, 6 p.m. (loser out)
At Hudson’s Bay
Game 5: Mount Rainier vs. Union, 7 p.m. (winner to state)
At Puyallup
Game 6: Capital vs. Clover Park, 6 p.m. (loser out)
Game 7: North Thurston vs. Enumclaw, 8 p.m. (winner to state)
At Mount Rainier
Game 8: Evergreen vs. Kennedy, 6 p.m. (loser out)
GIRLS BASKETBALL
4A West Central District tournament
At Auburn
Game 23: South Kitsap vs. Jefferson, 6 p.m. (winner to state, loser out)
Gmae 24: Bellarmine Prep vs. Graham-Kapowsin, 8 p.m. (winner to state, loser out)

FRIDAY
BOYS BASKETBALL
4A WCD tournament
At Auburn
Game 23: Bellarmine Prep vs. Beamer, 6 p.m. (winner No. 5 seed to state, loser out)
Game 24: Kentwood vs. Kentridge, 8 p.m. (winner No. 4, loser out)
1A Tri-District tournament
At Mountlake Terrace
Game 5: Vashon vs. King’s, 5:30 p.m. (loser No. 3 to state)
2B Tri-District tournament
At Chief Leschi
Game 9: Tacoma Baptist vs. Quilcene, 3 p.m. (loser out)
Game 10: Seattle Lutheran vs. Mount Vernon Christian, 6:30 p.m. (loser out)

GIRLS BASKETBALL
3A WCD-SW District tournament
At Clover Park
Game 9: Bonney Lake vs. Lindbergh, 6 p.m. (loser out)
Game 10: Hazen vs. Columbia River, 8 p.m. (loser out)
At Auburn Riverside
Game 11: Mount Rainier vs. Enumclaw, 6 p.m.
Game 12: Port Angeles vs. Auburn Mountainview, 8 p.m.
Nisqually/Olympic league tournament
Game 1: Interlake at Steilacoom, 7 p.m.
Game 2: Fife at North Mason, 7 p.m.
1A Tri-District tournament
At Mountlake Terrace
Game 5: Seattle Christian vs. Lynden Christian, 8 p.m. (loser No. 3 seed to state)
2B Tri-District tournament
At Chief Leschi
Game 5: King’s West vs. Evergreen Lutheran, 4:45 p.m. (loser out)
Game 6: Tacoma Baptist vs. Seattle Lutheran, 8:15 p.m. (loser out)

SATURDAY
BOYS BASKETBALL
4A WCD tournament
At Puyallup
Game 25: Decatur vs. Curtis, 2 p.m. (winner No. 3 seed to state, loser No. 6)
Game 26: Title game – Foss vs. Federal Way, 6 p.m. (winner No. 1, loser No. 2)
3A WCD-SW District tournament
At Mount Tahoma
Game 9: G1 loser vs. G2 winner, 6 p.m. (loser out)
Game 10: G3 loser vs. G4 winner, 8 p.m. (loser out)
At Auburn Riverside
Game 11: G5 loser vs. G6 winner, 6 p.m. (loser out)
Game 12: G7 loser vs. G8 winner, 8 p.m. (loser out)
2A West Central District tournament
G1: Klahowya at Steilacoom, 7 p.m.
G2: Eatonville at Sequim, 7 p.m.
1A Tri-District tournament
At Mountlake Terrace
Game 6: Cascade Christian vs. Bellevue Christian, 11 a.m. (winner to state, loser out)
Game 7: Port Townsend vs. University Prep, 2:30 p.m. (winner to state, loser out)
Game 8: Winner game 5 vs. Seattle Academy, 6 p.m. (winner No. 1 seed to state, loser No. 2)
2B Tri-District tournament
At Chief Leschi
Game 11: Title Game – Summit vs. La Conner, 6:15 p.m. (winner No. 1, loser No. 2 seed to state)
Game 12: G9 winner vs. G10 winner, 2:45 p.m. (winner No. 3, loser No. 4 seed to state)
GIRLS BASKETBALL
4A West Central District tournament
At Puyallup
Game 25: Federal Way vs. Mount Tahoma, 4 p.m. (winner No. 3 seed to state, loser No. 6)
Game 26: Title game – Auburn Riverside vs. Kentwood, 8 p.m. (winner No. 1, loser No. 2)
1A Tri-District tournament
At Mountlake Terrace
Game 6: King’s vs. Chimacum, 12:45 p.m. (winner to state, loser out)
Game 7: Vashon vs. Nooksack Valley, 4:15 p.m. (winner to state, loser out)
Game 8: Winner game 5 vs. Bellevue Christian, 8 p.m. (winner No. 1, loser No. 2 to state)
2B Tri-District tournament
At Chief Leschi
Game 11: Title Game – LaConner vs. Orcas Island, 4:30 p.m. (winner No. 1, loser No. 2 seed to state)
Game 12: G9 Winner vs. G10 winner, 1 p.m. (winner No. 3, loser No. 4 to state)

What to watch Thursday

Narrows League champion Bellarmine Prep will face SPSL South champ Graham-Kapowsin in a winner-to-state, loser-out game in the Class 4A West Central District girls basketball tournament tonight. The Lions are trying to reach state for the fourth straight season, while the Eagles are going for a second consecutive trip.
Where: Auburn
Time: 8 p.m.

Lakes will take on Olympic League champion North Kitsap in the first round of the WCD-SW bi-district boys basketball tournament with a state berth on the line.
Where: Clover Park
Time: 8 p.m.

Capital and Clover Park will meet in a loser-out game in the first round of the WCD-SW bi-district boys tournament. Whatever team wins this game will have to win two more to clinch a state berth.
Where: Puyallup
Time: 6 p.m.

Wednesday’s highlights

Here's the game story from the boys WCD semifinals. Foss beat Decatur and Federal Way beat Curtis.

Kentwood nipped Lincoln and Kentridge defeated Rogers in one half of the loser's bracket.

Donald Gaddy drilled a miracle shot from near halfcourt in overtime to lift Bellarmine Prep over Central Kitsap, and Beamer toppled Mount Tahoma.

The Yelm girls clinched a state berth with their win over Bonney Lake.

White River clinched its ninth state berth in 11 seasons by beating Hazen, 71-66, in the first round of the 3A WCD-SW bi-district girls tournament. Megan McKune led the Hornets with 20 points and Kendall Williams had 17. White River will play Yelm on March 6 for a berth in the tourney final.

Enumclaw eliminated Capital from the bi-district tournament with a 67-51 win. Mara Koplitz scored 17 points for the Hornets, who will play Mount Rainier on Friday in another loser-out game. Tosha Hollingsworth led all players with a game-high 24 points.

Vashon surged to an early lead and held on, beating Cedar Park Christian in a 1A Tri-District girls tournament loser-out game. Chrissy Swope scored 17 and Kelly Costello had 13 for the Pirates. Vashon will play Nooksack Valley on Saturday in a winner-to-state, loser-out game.