X-Factors heading into Regionals (Part 1)

The WA State Regionals round is full of great teams and players. Some teams have already punched their ticket into next week while others play this weekend to extend their seasons. What players have the talent to be the "X-Factor" to help their teams? [player_tooltip player_id="931309" first="Tijan" last="Saine"] (2022) - 5’10 PG - Mariner Saine is that tough-nosed point guard that opposing teams hate playing against. He has the jumper to beat you from outside and the speed to blow by you. The best part of his game is his ability to change speeds and control pace. Hardly does he dance with the ball which makes him even harder to defend. While Saine can score, and score well, he is averaging over 8 assists on the season which makes him a double-double threat every night. His team is #6 in 4A and that means their ticket to state is punched but Saine plans on taking his team as far as he can. Zoom Diallo (2024) - 6’4 PG - Curtis Diallo is the best player in his class and has already started to make a name for himself at the national level. Last week he was ranked #42 in the country by 247 Sports. Diallo and [player_tooltip player_id="923122" first="Tyce" last="Paulsen"] have led Curtis into one of the top seeds in 4A regionals and a true state contender. What makes Diallo and Curtis so dangerous? He is a true point guard. He can score, pass, defend, and rebound. He is smart enough to see the correct read and unselfish enough to make it. Diallo tweeted that he wanted to "Be recognized as one of the top point guards in the country" and he is doing just that. Look for the sophomore to continue making a name for himself as the Vikings look to play deep into the state tournament. [player_tooltip player_id="931313" first="Asjon" last="Anderson"] (2022) - 6’2 CG - Mount Tahoma Anderson is well known around the state for being one of the top scores. He is currently averaging over 31.5 points on the season and has scoring outputs of 40, 41, 46, and 50. While those numbers are already outstanding, what makes them even better is knowing that he shoots 48% from the field and 38% from three. Anderson is a "Walking Problem" for opposing teams as he only has three games this season where he had less than 20 points. The T-Birds are 17-5 on the year and have a loser-out game this weekend. I doubt Anderson wants his senior season to end before the dome so watch out as the best scorer in the state does everything he can to lead his team to a W. [player_tooltip player_id="674438" first="Maleek" last="Arington"] (2022) - 6’3 PG - Auburn Arington is ranked #2 in our rankings and that is not by mistake. He is one of the most polished point guards the state has seen in the past few years and that is largely in part to his high IQ. He is what a coach is looking for when they say they need a "coach on the floor." There may not be anyone better in the state at finding his teammates but don’t be fooled, he can score whenever he wants. He is back from injury and playing with no signs of lingering pain. The Trojans only loss on the season came to the #1 ranked Garfield Bulldogs when Arington went down before half time. He is back, he looks like himself, and he is looking to lead his team past the regionals and in to the dome... where anything can happen. Dane Goudy (2022) - 6’1 PG - White River Goudy is a big name in 2A basketball but most people don’t know about him since he is from a small town. He may play his high school basketball in the small town of Buckley, WA but he plays the game with a big city swagger. Goudy is shifty enough to always beat the first defender and crafty enough to score on whoever is left. He makes highlight quality passes to get the crowd engaged and goes on scoring runs that lead to broken records. Shoot, it was only a couple of weeks ago that he scored 45 points so he could very well still be hot heading into this weekend. The White River Hornets are safe from elimination this weekend with the #6 seed in 2A but something tells me that Goudy is looking to upset the higher-ranked R.A. Long and punch his ticket to a March 3rd game early.

The WA State Regionals round is full of great teams and players. Some teams have already punched their ticket into next week while others play this weekend to extend their seasons. What players have the talent to be the "X-Factor" to help their teams?

Tijan Saine Tijan Saine 5'10" | PG Mariner | 2022 WA (2022) - 5’10 PG - Mariner

Saine is that tough-nosed point guard that opposing teams hate playing against. He has the jumper to beat you from outside and the speed to blow by you. The best part of his game is his ability to change speeds and control pace. Hardly does he dance with the ball which makes him even harder to defend. While Saine can score, and score well, he is averaging over 8 assists on the season which makes him a double-double threat every night. His team is #6 in 4A and that means their ticket to state is punched but Saine plans on taking his team as far as he can.

Zoom Diallo (2024) - 6’4 PG - Curtis

Diallo is the best player in his class and has already started to make a name for himself at the national level. Last week he was ranked #42 in the country by 247 Sports. Diallo and Tyce Paulsen Tyce Paulsen 6'5" | SG Curtis | 2023 State WA have led Curtis into one of the top seeds in 4A regionals and a true state contender. What makes Diallo and Curtis so dangerous? He is a true point guard. He can score, pass, defend, and rebound. He is smart enough to see the correct read and unselfish enough to make it. Diallo tweeted that he wanted to "Be recognized as one of the top point guards in the country" and he is doing just that. Look for the sophomore to continue making a name for himself as the Vikings look to play deep into the state tournament.

Asjon Anderson Asjon Anderson 6'0" | PG Mt. Tahoma | 2022 State WA (2022) - 6’2 CG - Mount Tahoma

Anderson is well known around the state for being one of the top scores. He is currently averaging over 31.5 points on the season and has scoring outputs of 40, 41, 46, and 50. While those numbers are already outstanding, what makes them even better is knowing that he shoots 48% from the field and 38% from three. Anderson is a "Walking Problem" for opposing teams as he only has three games this season where he had less than 20 points. The T-Birds are 17-5 on the year and have a loser-out game this weekend. I doubt Anderson wants his senior season to end before the dome so watch out as the best scorer in the state does everything he can to lead his team to a W.

Maleek Arington Maleek Arington 6'3" | PG Auburn | 2022 State WA (2022) - 6’3 PG - Auburn

Arington is ranked #2 in our rankings and that is not by mistake. He is one of the most polished point guards the state has seen in the past few years and that is largely in part to his high IQ. He is what a coach is looking for when they say they need a "coach on the floor." There may not be anyone better in the state at finding his teammates but don’t be fooled, he can score whenever he wants. He is back from injury and playing with no signs of lingering pain. The Trojans only loss on the season came to the #1 ranked Garfield Bulldogs when Arington went down before half time. He is back, he looks like himself, and he is looking to lead his team past the regionals and in to the dome... where anything can happen.

Dane Goudy (2022) - 6’1 PG - White River

Goudy is a big name in 2A basketball but most people don’t know about him since he is from a small town. He may play his high school basketball in the small town of Buckley, WA but he plays the game with a big city swagger. Goudy is shifty enough to always beat the first defender and crafty enough to score on whoever is left. He makes highlight quality passes to get the crowd engaged and goes on scoring runs that lead to broken records. Shoot, it was only a couple of weeks ago that he scored 45 points so he could very well still be hot heading into this weekend. The White River Hornets are safe from elimination this weekend with the #6 seed in 2A but something tells me that Goudy is looking to upset the higher-ranked R.A. Long and punch his ticket to a March 3rd game early.