February 15th Playoff Snapshot

<p>Playoff ball is where the true grit shows. Stars take over and unexpected guys step up in the game’s big moments. All the hard work these teams have put in in the offseason, all the sweat they’ve let go in practices, all the long nights traveling to away games, have led to this - survive and advance. There has been plenty of drama and a fair share of statement games too. Here are a few of the games from the past week that put teams one step closer to State or dropped them to the brink of elimination.</p> <p><strong>4A - Central Valley 62 Kamiakin 65</strong></p> <p>This one featured two of the top players in the state in MCC MVP [player_tooltip player_id="1121261" first="Tyler" last="Bilodeau"] and scoring machine [player_tooltip player_id="929627" first="Dylan" last="Darling"].</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="929627" first="Dylan" last="Darling"] 6’2 G Central Valley 2022</p> <p>Darling was doing it all, from knockdown threes to strong drives into the paint leading to three the hard way. For all his scoring recognition, it may get lost how phenomenal a passer Darling is. He can whip one-handed passes just about anywhere on the court and often does this while facing two defenders. He did his best to keep the Bears alive, even taking on the task of guarding [player_tooltip player_id="1121261" first="Tyler" last="Bilodeau"] at times, giving up more than a few inches.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1121261" first="Tyler" last="Bilodeau"] 6’8 F Kamiakin 2022</p> <p>"Big Smooth!" Bilodeau is a force inside for any team to deal with, but Central Valley had a tough time finding the size to matchup with him inside. Bilodeau has a great sense of how defenses are playing him. He changes up his timing, making a move right off the catch if he feels the defender trailing, or settling in, feeling out his man, and working towards the middle for a pure jump hook. He showed off exceptional hands, catching an array of entry passes and holding strong in possession. He even stepped out for a three ball and was yet again, a huge part of the Braves victory.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="929628" first="Trey" last="Arland"] 6’6 F Kamiakin 2022</p> <p>This guy is a great compliment to Bilodeau. He plays mostly on the perimeter and can light it up from distance but also shows great athleticism and strength that helps him go to work inside. The best part about Trey is that his ability to play on the wing sees him matched up with smaller players. Even if it’s just a couple inches, he has a long wingspan and can shoot right over the top of most defenders. He’s got some good lift on his jumper too and those eyes are staring right down at the rim.</p> <p>Kamiakin punched their ticket to Regionals and advances to take on Gonzaga Prep Friday at 8:00 pm at Spokane Arena for the District 8 title.</p> <p>Central Valley plays in a loser out against Lewis and Clark Thursday at 7:00 pm at Mead High School.</p> <p><strong>2A - Shelton 42 WF West 45</strong></p> <p>This one was a turnover fest in the first half, looking like a combination of jitters and tight defense. The defenses wouldn’t relent, and the game turned in to a grinder. It was a steady pace all night long, which meant a lot of work for standout big man, [player_tooltip player_id="1270675" first="Soren" last="Dalan"].</p> <p><strong>Matai Lei Sam</strong> 6’5 F Shelton 2022</p> <p>Lie Sam had a big game for the Highclimbers on both sides of the ball. He’s a long kid who played everywhere defensively and created a lot of second chances on the offensive end. Shelton had a tall task dealing with Dalan on the glass, but Matai was crucial in limiting the big man’s hold on the game, scrapping for loose rebounds. He chipped in offensively by running the floor hard and making nice drives to the hoop.</p> <p><strong>Charles Thompson</strong> 6’4 G Shelton 2022</p> <p>Thompson was another key contributor on the boards for Shelton. He worked low on their zone making sure Dalan had no easy looks. He heated up towards the halfway point of the second quarter and displayed a nice touch from mid-range. He’s an above average ball handler and does a great job setting up screens and working his man off the dribble to get open looks.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1270675" first="Soren" last="Dalan"] 6’10 F WF West 2023</p> <p>This guy is always a problem for opposing defenses. His combo of strength and good hands make him one of the best rebounders in the state. As of Tuesday, he now owns the WF West single season record of 289 rebounds and counting, a record that stood for almost 40 years. Dalan seemed to play with some extra intensity on this night out, fighting for every rebound and getting started with scoring early.</p> <p><strong>Seth Hoff</strong> 5’10 G WF West 2022</p> <p>Seth turned it up in the second half getting wet from behind the arc. He put together some nice catch and shoot opportunities but showed he can also get his shot rocking his man with a little rhythm crossover. The three ball was falling for him, giving the Bearcats a nice boost towards the end, and he sank two clutch time free throws to put his team up three with eight seconds left in the game.</p> <p>WF West goes on to face Ridgefield Thursday night at 7:45 pm at Tumwater High School. Winner to Regionals and loser goes home.</p> <p>Shelton was eliminated with the loss.</p>