Examining the WIAA's RPI Top 5 3A Teams (1/13/19)

In 2017, Foss was the hands-down favorite to win the 2A State Championship. They had the Boise State commit at the time, Roberto Gittens, they had speed and experience. In fact, they did not have a single loss to a 2A team that year. Anyone in their right mind knew Foss was the team to beat. Washington's newly implemented RPI (a mathematical equation) didn't account for any of that, however. They entered the state tournament with no first-round bye and had to win three loser out games consecutively, to even reach the state tournament. Those Foss Falcons ended up winning the State Championship, despite the flaws in the RPI system. Fast forward to today and some changes have been made to make the rankings more accurate. Out of state games are not considered to be a matchup against a .500 team anymore. Their real record is taken into account, so out of state games are no longer discouraged. This is helpful to most of these teams below who have played out of state games and played against quality competition at some point during the season. It is still a flawed system overall, but it is better than the first year at least. What is the formula of the RPI? RPI = (40% x WP) + (40% x OWP) + (20% x OOWP)   In today's RPI, here are the top 5 3A teams as of 1/13/19: 1) Eastside Catholic HS- Record: 14-0 Key Games Remaining: 1/31 @ Rainier Beach Outlook: Eastside Catholic is steadily putting together a really good season and show few signs of slowing down. Their most competitive game of the season ended in a double OT victory over O'Dea. That should be a big confidence boost for the young Crusaders squad that features 5 sophomores that are impact players. Speaking of sophomores, 6'6 Jaylauhn Tuimoloau is an absolute load in the paint with a mixture of brute strength and finesse skills. 2021 6'6 SG Shane Nowell is one of the best sophomores in the state with his ability to slash on offense and guard multiple positions on defense. Sophomore point guard Nolan Hickman is recovering from a hip injury, but is expected to return in the next week or so. Senior leader, 6'6 PF Griffin Barker is one of the better unsigned seniors in the state. Their matchup with powerhouse Rainier Beach is one of the most highly anticipated games of the year. I expect Eastside Catholic to make a deep run at the state tourney and possibly find their way to the title game.   2) Mt. Spokane HS- Record: 13-1 Key Games Remaining: 1/22 @ Central Valley, 1/25 @ University Outlook: Mt. Spokane has been one of the surprises of the year. Their coaching staff may say otherwise, as they are returning state contenders, but they were never a legitimate top 5 team in the 3A class. 2021 6'7 W Tyson Degenhart is the team's leading scorer and provides versatility all around. 2019 6'5 F Tanner Brooks is a very strong rebounder at 215 pounds. 2019s JT Smith and Jerry Twenge are also capable of scoring double digits points on any given night. Mt. Spokane plays an uptempo style of basketball and they put up big numbers game by game. Their lone loss came to nationally ranked Gonzaga Prep, early in the season. The key for Mt. Spokane will be how they react to superior teams athletically, as they do not see Metro League type athletes in the Greater Spokane League.   3) Rainier Beach HS- Record: 9-1 Key Games Remaining: 1/17-1/19 Bass Tournament of Champions, 1/31 vs. Eastside Catholic Outlook: Rainier Beach is still the favorite to win 3A. They have not played their best basketball yet, but many assume they will peak at the right time. They have yet to fully mesh together and lack a true center, but they have the foot speed and wing play to get it done. Overall, the athleticism is there. 2019 6'6 unsigned prospect Jaivion Garrett is a left-handed force down low, with a solid mid range game. 2019 6'6 W Jamon Kemp has yet to pick his college destination, but he is one of the state's best defenders and he regularly makes momentum changing plays on offense and defense. His mid-range pull up is money. 2020 6'6 SG Marjon Beauchamp is the go-to-guy for the first time in a high school setting, but he has all of the tools to help lead Beach to another ring. Their lone loss came at Sheldon HS in Sacramento, CA. How good Rainier Beach is on a national schedule will be determined at the Bass Tournament of Champions. How they will fare in state will be on display when they play #1 Eastside Catholic.   4) Kelso HS- Record: 12-1 Key Games Remaining: 1/21 @ Mountlake Terrace Outlook: Kelso is an interesting number four seed thus far in the season. While they have some really solid wins, their strength of schedule is far weaker than many teams outside of the top 5. They do have one quality win over #5 Lincoln and they have won all of the games they are supposed to. RPI #6 Timberline did give them their one loss of the season. Overall, Kelso will be competitive with most teams, led by Seattle Pacific signee Shaw Anderson, who is averaging 23 points per game.   5) Lincoln HS- Record: 11-2 Key Games Remaining: 1/31@ Wilson Outlook: Lincoln's tradition of leading the Tacoma schools in the win/loss column continues on for another year. They do not have the standout Division 1 prospects of years' past, but as a whole, they are tough and gritty athletes. 2021 6'4 F Julien Simon is a grown man at 225 plus pounds. He is a difficult matchup at the high school level with his size and athleticism. Their two losses came to highly ranked Union (4A) and Kelso (mentioned above). Their team defense is what enables them to compete against top teams and I fully expect to see them at the Tacoma Dome.   Other Teams to keep an eye on: #20 O'Dea HS #12 West Seattle HS #9 Mercer Island HS