City Rankings Faceoff: SW Washington VS Vancouver
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This is the final edition of the City Rankings Faceoff where we make teams of the best players from certain regions and debate which region would come out on top. So far, the Kitsap-Olympic Peninsula is 2-0, while SW Washington…
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Continue ReadingThis is the final edition of the City Rankings Faceoff where we make teams of the best players from certain regions and debate which region would come out on top. So far, the Kitsap-Olympic Peninsula is 2-0, while SW Washington and Vancouver are both 0-1. Let’s see which team can scrape together a win and claim second best.
Starting Lineup
G | Cavin Holden Cavin Holden 6'1" | CG Ra Long | 2023 State WA vs Beckett Currie Beckett Currie 6'0" | PG Camas | 2025 State WA
Advantage SW WA
This is an interesting matchup because Currie embodies a lot of what Holden does, just as a younger version. For that reason, I have to give the edge to Holden. Currie might have the athletic edge but Holden is a smart player who knows how to win the little battles that matter in a close, head-to-head matchup. This would be a great present vs future matchup of a guy who has led his team deep in the state playoffs, and a guy who is gearing up to take that role for his team soon.
G | Kobe Parlin Kobe Parlin 6'1" | CG Mark Morris | 2023 State WA vs Giovanny Evanson Giovanny Evanson 6'5" | PG King's Way Christian | 2023 State WA
Advantage Vancouver
For Evanson, this again comes down to his ability to hit the difficult shots. Parlin is excellent when the pace is high but with two substantial bigs down low, SW WA will likely play at a slower pace. That slower pace gives the edge to Evanson. Parlin will no doubt have the length to harass Evanson but he’s still giving up four inches to the guard from Vancouver, allowing plenty of room for Evanson to rise up and over on the jumper.
G | Zach Swanson Zach Swanson 6'2" | SG Toutle Lake | 2024 State WA vs Tait Spencer Tait Spencer 6'3" | SG Great Futures Prep | 2025 State WA
Advantage Vancouver
This one feels as close to a coin flip as you can get, but I went with Spencer because at the 4A level he’s used to playing against tougher competition. The fact that he’s able to put up a massive scoring load at that level has to count for something. Spencer’s mental toughness will be key for Vancouver in finding ways to seize control of the game. It is going to be a grinder which is why his consistency throughout the game will be so vital.
F | Josh Salguero Josh Salguero 6'7" | PF Morton-White Pass | 2023 State WA vs Yanni Fassilis Yanni Fassilis 6'5" | SF Union | 2023 State WA
Advantage Vancouver
Fassilis is one of the gutsier players I’ve watched. That relentless approach along with his great ballhandling skills gives him an edge over the bigger Salguero. It’s going to be tough for Fassilis to go straight at the Salguero but he has a strong array of moves that could get Salguero off his feet or committed just enough to create an opening for Fassilis. Salguero doesn’t have the same offensive prowess that Fassilis has, so unless he really attacks the boards hard and wins that aspect, I see Fassilis getting the advantage here.
F | Soren Dalan Soren Dalan 6'10" | C W.F West | 2023 State WA vs Jaxson Filler Jaxson Filler 6'7" | PF Skyview | 2024 State WA
Advantage SW WA
This is simply a case of size winning. Dalan has four inches on Filler, and with both bigs boasting similar styles, I give Dalan the edge. Filler does have the ability to step out every now and then with the jumper but not frequently enough to pull the SW WA big man out. Dalan is a menace on the boards and he will create a big edge for SW WA. The main issue for Filler in this matchup is the lack of depth behind him. He is the big for Vancouver and won’t get much, if any, of a break against Dalan.
Bench
G Braydon Olson Braydon Olson 6'2" | CG Mark Morris | 2024 State WA vs G Beau Swett Beau Swett 6'2" | CG Woodland | 2023 State WA
Advantage SW WA
These two actually play against each other in the 2A GSHL. Olson’s Mark Morris beat Swett’s Woodland twice last season by 16, and then 20. It’s a little different here but Olson still gets the edge in this exercise. It really comes down to his ability to up the pace for his squad and shift the scoring focus, giving the big men a breather. Olson brings an easy flow up and down the court, scoring buckets in a hurry and excelling on the break. This style pairs extremely well with Parlin and Holden.
F Payton Stewart Payton Stewart 6'7" | PF Kelso | 2024 State WA vs G Theo McMillan Theo McMillan 6'2" | PG Camas | 2023 State WA
Advantage SW WA
Stewart’s combo of strength and speed gives SW Washington an added dimension that can spell the other bigs or adjust to a Vancouver run if their shooters get hot, or they find the groove in transition. He’s really a safety net for SW Washington with his ability to play tough interior defense and then get out and run on the breaks. Stewart also has underrated ball skills and is getting much more comfortable finding his own shot. He’s an x-factor in multiple ways in this matchup.
Wildcards
G Trevontay Smith Trevontay Smith 6'0" | CG Yelm | 2023 State WA vs G Boston Walker Boston Walker 6'6" | SG Rosemary Anderson Prep | 2025 WA
Advantage Vancouver
This one is more a pick out of necessity. Smith is a great compliment to the other guards as a scrappy player with high energy who can find his own buckets. Yet Walker’s size is much more vital to his team as someone who can bring strength and athleticism to the post but also has the potential to draw opposing bigs outside with his long-range shooting. If Walker gets hot on the offensive end and can do enough to deter the bigs defensively, he could be the wildcard Vancouver needs to shift the overall advantage and get the pace going in Vancouver’s favor.
Outcome
Across the board, this game looks like it could go either way. After breaking down each matchup and the bench spots we’ve come to a 4-4 tie. It was always going to be a tough ask to contain the size of Dalan and Salguero inside, but the complimentary shooting outside from Holden, Parlin, and Swanson could prove too much for Vancouver. Southwest Washington also has the perfect bench to fill their needs, allowing for multiple styles of attack and being able to respond to whatever attack Vancouver comes with.
I have to pick Southwest Washington to win this matchup near the border.
Final Score: SW WA 49 VAN 43
Final Standings: 1. Kitsap-Olympic Peninsula (2-0) 2. Southwest Washington (1-1) 3. Vancouver (0-2)
Of course, this is all speculation but hopefully this gave you an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of each region and how each of these players can impact games and affect winning basketball.