3A Tournament Power Rankings (#1-8)

With the opening round already come and gone, we now have just 16 teams remaining at play in the 3A state tournament. This Friday and Saturday will open up round two, where we have the top eight teams in seeding matchups and the bottom eight in loser-out matchups. Taking a look at the 16 teams left, I've ranked them based on a blend of resume (record, key wins, league title, district title) and the almighty eye test. Let's take a look at how the remaining 3A contenders stack up, starting with 1-8.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. Rainier Beach 21-1 (14-0) RPI #1</h3>   District 2 Champions, Metro League Champions, #1 Seed   Next Game: Bellarmine Prep   Rainier Beach is the consensus top team heading into the 3A tournament. Since losing their opener to Annie Wright, the Vikings have strung together 20 straight wins and only had two games decided by less than 10 points. They have been utterly dominant. It starts with two D-I commits, [player_tooltip player_id='1451033' first='Jaylen' last='Petty'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1850299' first='Kaden' last='Powers']. Having one player of that caliber would be tough to stop, let alone having both in the same backcourt. The Viks also have one of the deepest teams in the state with scorers, shooters, playmakers, athletes, and a team in harmony on both ends of the floor.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. Garfield 16-6 (10-4) RPI #8</h3>   District 2 Qualifier, #3 Seed   Next Game: Lincoln   Garfield doesn't have a league title or a district title to boost its resume heading into the tournament, but the Bulldogs are still unquestionably one of the most talented teams in the state. Led by [player_tooltip player_id='2140825' first='Jimmie' last='Haywood III'], Garfield has a backcourt full of shooters and gritty defenders. [player_tooltip player_id='2375377' first='BJ' last='Roy'], [player_tooltip player_id='1685493' first='Doni' last='Burkett'], [player_tooltip player_id='2173114' first='Ohmono' last='Bomet'], [player_tooltip player_id='2173107' first='Isaiah' last='Davis'], [player_tooltip player_id='2194341' first='KJ' last='Hightower'] - all starting caliber guards in the Garfield backcourt, allowing them to stay fresh and find the hot hand. [player_tooltip player_id='1450982' first='Gelonni' last='“JuJu” Ervin'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2173016' first='Daniel' last='Jackson Jr.'] are two high-level athletes who can make plays with their length and play above the rim.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. Bellevue 19-6 (9-3) RPI #6</h3>   District 2 Runner-Up, Kingco Crown League Champions, #4 Seed   Next Game: Edmonds-Woodway   Bellevue has been on a late-season roll, and until Saturday's loss to Rainier Beach, the Wolverines had won 10 straight games by 10+ points. Guards [player_tooltip player_id='1863256' first='Nick' last='Norrah'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1485587' first='Bryce' last='Smith'] are a dynamic pairing with twitchy athleticism. Both can attack the rim and are excellent creators with the rock. Defensively, the Wolverines have been locked in, holding six opponents on this 11-game stretch to under 50 points. They are a guard-heavy team that plays fast on defense, and when Smith is in, he's a kid who can create tons of transition chances with his ability to push the pace.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. Lincoln (Tacoma) 25-3 (16-1) RPI #3</h3>   District 3/4 Champions, PSL Narrows League Champions, #6 Seed   Next Game: Garfield   I heard a lot about this team's potential before the season and early on in the year. Even so, it's hard to say I could have imagined things would have gone this well for them. They certainly have the firepower and energy to make a run in Tacoma. Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2625619' first='Davion' last='Shareef-Dulaney'] is a lightning-rod scorer who won league MVP. [player_tooltip player_id='2116694' first='Trey' last='Collier'] is another lightning rod with shiftiness offensively to create something out of nothing and the instincts/reactions defensively to frustrate offenses. Big man [player_tooltip player_id='2751636' first='Justus' last='Holt'], another freshman, has been putting in work in the frontcourt, and the depth they have allows them to play at a high pace throughout the game.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">5. Monroe 21-3 (10-0) RPI #5</h3>   District 1 Champions, Wesco North 2/3A League Champions, #10 Seed   Next Game: Gig Harbor   Monroe comes into the tournament as the 10-seed, which feels pretty low for league and district champions. While they may lack a true shot-maker along the perimeter, they do have a gaggle of guards who can combine to get the job done in different ways. [player_tooltip player_id='2021626' first='Wyatt' last='Prohn'] is a kid who can knock down perimeter jumpers. [player_tooltip player_id='2616638' first='Kieren' last='Greear'] is a tough downhill threat who thrives on finishing under pressure. [player_tooltip player_id='2028908' first='Isaiah' last='Kiehl'] is a quick sophomore guard who can handle the rock and turn up the heat defensively. Wing [player_tooltip player_id='2021609' first='Caleb' last='Campbell'] brings some size to the floor and has a smooth midrange game while also showing some slashing to the hoop. And then big man [player_tooltip player_id='2380117' first='Chayce' last='Waite-Kellar'] provides strength, athleticism, and a big motor around the basket. It's a balanced team that has shown some excellent team defense through these playoffs and, most recently, defeated the 5th-seeded Edmonds-Woodway Warriors.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">6. Edmonds-Woodway 23-2 (11-1) RPI #2</h3>   District 1 Runner-Up, Wesco South 2A/3A League Champions, #5 Seed   Next Game: Bellevue   The Warriors feel like a team that could make a deep run, and no one would be surprised. They have the star power with [player_tooltip player_id='1354101' first='Cam' last='Hiatt'], who can put the team on his back offensively and score in different ways depending on the matchup. He is the type of talent that can power a championship-caliber team. They also have a group of scrappy role players, shooters, and ballhandlers, who play with toughness and have stuck together for several years. [player_tooltip player_id='2205069' first='William' last='Alseth'] is an x-factor whose length, slashing, and gritty defensive play can often go under the radar. Shooters [player_tooltip player_id='2622808' first='DJ' last='Karl'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2384271' first='Grant' last='Williams'] can space the floor and make plays off the bounce. They also have some size up front to play different matchups. Definitely a team to watch in Tacoma.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">7. Auburn Mountainview 22-2 (13-1) RPI #7</h3>   District 3/4 Runner-Up, NPSL 3A League Champions, #11 Seed   Next Game: Federal Way   The Lions started the season rattling off 17-straight wins before a last-second loss at Federal Way (57-56). Now, they get to face the Eagles again in a loser-out game to open their state tournament. NPSL MVP [player_tooltip player_id='1850309' first='Sebastian' last='Arius'] will lead the charge for the Lions. He's a 6-foot-6 guard who has extended range but has been a much more well-rounded scorer this season and can facilitate when need be. Long sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='2392951' first='Sudan' last='Luok'] has had a bit of a coming-out party this year, giving opposing teams fits on defense and at the rim. And they also have first-team all-league guard [player_tooltip player_id='2726672' first='Kolven' last='Posey'], who can heat up offensively and plays scrappy perimeter defense. This team is much like years past, defense and shooting, but they have the guys to fill the areas in between to give them different looks, like seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2717073' first='Beckett' last='Jones'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1315366' first='Lucas' last='McClendon']. Somehow, after losing just two games all year (both to teams in the state tournament), this AMV team is still flying under the radar.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">8. Seattle Prep 17-10 (8-6) RPI #14</h3>   District 2 Qualifier, #7 Seed   Next Game: Mount Spokane   Prep has a three-headed monster that rivals just about any team in the state. Shooters [player_tooltip player_id='1485543' first='Beckham' last='King'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1631540' first='Nirvaan' last='Misra'] can light it up from just about anywhere on the floor, and point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1863191' first='Niko' last='Christofilis'] has taken his play to another level as a distributor who can still get his. They definitely have the playmaking and scoring to match up with any team in the field and start their run against District 6 champions, Mount Spokane. The Panthers have showcased their firepower all season, averaging 70.7 ppg across 27 games. If teams are going to stop the Prep boys, they'll have to either out-shoot them or find a way to slow down this talented group.

With the opening round already come and gone, we now have just 16 teams remaining at play in the 3A state tournament. This Friday and Saturday will open up round two, where we have the top eight teams in seeding matchups and the bottom eight in loser-out matchups. Taking a look at the 16 teams left, I've ranked them based on a blend of resume (record, key wins, league title, district title) and the almighty eye test. Let's take a look at how the remaining 3A contenders stack up, starting with 1-8.