Postseason Favorites: Class 4A

Postseason play has begun as teams are striving to get to the state tournament. Here are some teams who are favorites to win it all in their classes, in my eyes.   West Valley HS: Current Record: 18-2   West Valley has been a top team all season long, only dropping games to tough opponents, Chiawana and Glaicer Peak. They lost both those games by a combined 5 points, so could be sitting undefeated if things went their way. [player_tooltip player_id='2569415' first='Parker' last='Hill'] is a smooth point guard who can facilitate the offense at a high level. [player_tooltip player_id='2627288' first='Jett' last='Bremerman'] is a sophomore wing who scores the ball well and has an excellent shot from deep. [player_tooltip player_id='1587955' first='Parker' last='Mills'] is a force down low, being very hard to guard and is one of the strongest players in the state. [player_tooltip player_id='2473468' first='Austin' last='Birley'] is a big reason why they are a top 4A squad. He has grown his game tremendously, becoming a 3 level scorer and being able to break down defenders when the team needs a bucket. They will be hard to stop with such a strong core group.   Gonzaga Prep: Current Record: 17-5   3 of Gonzaga Prep's losses have come from out of state teams when they went to play in a tournament around New Years. They lost games to Central Valley and Mt Spokane, both non-conference games. They won a tough matchup against Mt Spokane later in the season while also avenging their loss to Central Valley. This team is led by a core of seniors, [player_tooltip player_id='2827870' first='Jackson' last='Mott'], [player_tooltip player_id='2622806' first='Carter' last='Nilson'], Vincent Moore, and [player_tooltip player_id='2827868' first='Ryan' last='Carney'] are some of those impactful seniors to keep an eye on.   Camas HS: Current Record: 16-5   Camas started the season off a little iffy, starting 4-4 in their first 8 games. They locked in after that, rolling off a ton of victories before falling to Skyview in a tough conference matchup. [player_tooltip player_id='1863196' first='Ethan' last='Harris'] is a top player in the entire state, regardless of classification. Harris can play on the wing to break down defenders and hit jumpers but also uses his 6'8” frame to dominate in the paint and out-body opposing players. [player_tooltip player_id='2894471' first='Mason' last='Hamilton'] is another senior who contributes at a high level for this team. With their height and ability to play as a team, they are a team to watch.   Lake Washington HS: Current Record: 20-3   Lake Washington has only lost 3 games this season but 2 of them have come from conference rival, Mount Si. [player_tooltip player_id='1685495' first='Mateo' last='Cummings'] is a high level wing who displays length and uses it well on the court. He knows how to get his buckets and fight hard on the court to get to his spots. [player_tooltip player_id='2144895' first='Jayden' last='Hunt'] is another senior who under-recruited players in the whole class, being a player who can easily take over the game and find his rhythm to drop 20-30, maybe even more. He's on a mission to show everyone he's a D1 guard.   Mount Si HS: Current Record: 17-1   Mount Si opened their season with a conference loss to Woodinville but have not looked back since, rattling off 17 straight wins. [player_tooltip player_id='2021624' first='Brady' last='Hennig'] is a top wing, scoring the ball smoothly and having an insanely high motor. He'll be headed to Boise St next season. [player_tooltip player_id='2384344' first='Marcus' last='Heide'] and Latt Ford are some more D1 level caliber players that are on this roster and make impactful plays for this team. [player_tooltip player_id='1863247' first='Chase' last='Mentink'] deserves a shoutout too, being a guard who knows how to adjust his style of play to what the team needs. He is a high level scoring guard who facilitates at the same high level he can score at. He's a player to keep an eye on for this team as they try to make a run.   Richland HS: Current Record: 22-0   Richland is my favorite to win the state title as we head into postseason play. They have yet to drop a game and no one has really come close to competing with them. Another thing, they have scored less than 90 only 4 times this season, which were the first 4 games of the season. They can easily drop 100 on opposing teams as they have done many times this season. They are a quick team who can score in a variety of ways and always bring the energy to the court. Landon Northrop and [player_tooltip player_id='2375347' first='Lance' last='Horntvedt'] both average over 20 a game and do so very smoothly. They play off each other better than almost any duo in the state and know how to share the ball so both can get their own buckets. Add in a bunch of role players who fight hard and know the game of basketball to a high level, that's a team that's impossible to stop.   Auburn HS: Current Record: 20-2   Auburn has dropped one game to a Washington State team, that being Kentridge in a close 3 point conference game loss. They have fought hard all season long, consistently winning big and having consistent play on the court on both ends. [player_tooltip player_id='2021598' first='Daniel' last='Johnson'] is the real deal and has already shown that over the years. Now a senior, he's looking to end his high school career with a 4A state title. [player_tooltip player_id='2391500' first='Isaiah' last='Englund'] has really showed amazing strides over the past few years, using his 6'8” frame to his advantage while also stepping out and hitting jumpers if left open. [player_tooltip player_id='2021601' first='Miles' last='Henry'] is another player who steps up for his team on both ends, having a high motor and elite defensive skills but don't forget he can get a bucket if needed as well.   Emerald Ridge HS: Current Record: 20-3   Emerald Ridge has played a ton of conference games and has only dropped 2 of those games. They play in a tough 4A conference but adding more non-conference games to test the team would have led me to have more faith in them making a deeper run. [player_tooltip player_id='1685502' first='Darius' last='Alexander'] has been playing fantastic all season, staying consistent and stuffing the stat sheet every game. [player_tooltip player_id='1863251' first='Jamaize' last='McGriff'] is a force down low, showing off his strength nightly and his high level footwork and soft touch around the rim. [player_tooltip player_id='2548202' first='Ellis' last='Mosley'], [player_tooltip player_id='1863250' first='Jordan' last='Bennett'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2519203' first='Isaiah' last='Kilbourne'] are some other key players for this team.   Bonney Lake HS: Current Record: 20-3   Bonney Lake is another team with a lot of conference games but not a ton of non-conference tough matchups this season. They lost to Emerald Ridge, Olympia, and Puyallup in some close games. Eli Davis is a strong wing who has shown he can score from all 3 levels, including having a really smooth mid-range jumper. [player_tooltip player_id='2393332' first='Cole' last='Seminara'] is a junior who knows how to utilize his height as well but also can step out and hit his jumpers. His game has continued to consistently evolve. With Davis being the only senior, this team will be a top team next year too.   Glacier Peak HS: Current Record: 20-0   Glacier Peak has yet to drop a game and has won some big non-conference games against Mt Spokane, Puyallup, West Valley, and Bremerton. They have a talented core in [player_tooltip player_id='1936885' first='Edison' last='Kan'], [player_tooltip player_id='2920844' first='Justin' last='Vinson'], [player_tooltip player_id='1927274' first='Reed' last='Nagel'], [player_tooltip player_id='2399259' first='Paulos' last='Mulugeta'], and Zachary Albright. Albright adds length, toughness, and versatility to this team as he can play anywhere on the court and makes big plays often. Nagel, Kan, and Vinson are a top guard trio who play off each other well and are not selfish on the court. They are my co-favorites to win the 4A title, behind Richland.

Postseason play has begun as teams are striving to get to the state tournament. Here are some teams who are favorites to win it all in their classes, in my eyes.