Mid-Season Update: 3A Class (Part 1)

As the season begins the second half of the year, meaning league play begins and games begin to mean a lot more to teams. For this article, I will be taking a look into the 3A class and see which teams are sitting on top of each conference standings and which teams are potential favorites to play deep into the state tournament.   GHSL 3A Conference:   Evergreen (Vancouver) HS - RPI: 32 - Record: 8-5 (4-1) - Evergreen has had a up and down season but they are a solid squad who knows how to compete and stay in games. Arthur Ban is a San Diego State commit for football and is one of the most athletic players in the state.   Kelso HS - RPI: 29 - Record: 9-4 (2-1) - Kelso has a big win early in the season over Mark Morris but have lost the past 2 games and are looking to get back into the groove of things. [player_tooltip player_id='1450561' first='Payton' last='Stewart'] is just a force down low, being one of the strongest players in the entire 3A class.   Other Teams: Prairie HS - 7-6 (2-1), Mountain View HS - 5-9 (2-3), Hertiage HS - 2-12 (0-4)   GSL 3A/4A Conference:   Mt Spokane HS (3A) - RPI: 8 - Record: 11-1 (2-0) - Mt Spokane is a top 3A team and have proved that throughout the year so far, only losing to Sam Barlow HS so far. [player_tooltip player_id='1450491' first='Ryan' last='Lafferty'] is a top player in the state, Andrew Rayment fills his role perfectly, and the athletic Bode Gardner is providing energy for the team.   North Central HS (3A) - RPI: 6 - Record: 11-2 (2-0) - [player_tooltip player_id='1450604' first='Eli' last='Williams'] has grown into a premier point guard in the entire state, evolving his game every aspect to a high level. Juju and [player_tooltip player_id='1450562' first='Jacori' last='Ervin'] are electric big's who play off each other well and are matchup nightmares for opposing teams.   University HS (3A) - RPI: 26 - Record: 7-5 (2-0) - University is starting to find its rhythm as league play is beginning, starting off with 2 wins in a row. [player_tooltip player_id='1440101' first='Shane' last='Skidmore'] is a 6'8" big who not many can matchup against, he is going to dominate against teams throughout the season.   Ridgeline HS (3A) - RPI: 10 - Record: 10-2 (1-1) - Ridgeline doesn't have much size on their roster but they play to their strengths very well due to being well coached and disciplined. They could be a sneaky team to matchup against towards the end of season and throughout the season.   Other Teams: Lewis and Clark HS (4A) - 8-4 (1-1), Gonzaga Prep (4A) - 9-4 (1-1), Cheney HS (3A) - 6-6 (1-1), Mead HS (3A) - 6-6 (0-2), Ferris HS (3A) - 6-6 (0-2), Central Valley (4A) - 1-10 (0-4)   KingCo 3A Conference:   Bellevue HS - RPI: 11 - Record: 9-2 (5-1) - Bellevue lost an early game this season to Liberty and also one when in California for their holiday tournament. They are a well rounded team with many different players able to step up at anytime. [player_tooltip player_id='1451019' first='Marco' last='Varani'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1615160' first='Kenyan' last='Jackman-Thomas'] have been key players for the team.   Liberty (Renton) HS - RPI: 19 - Record: 10-4 (7-0) - Liberty has been playing fantastic this season and turned it on when league play kicked off. 3 of their 4 losses came during the holiday tournament that the team travelled too. Jack Whitaker has been playing lights out, draining threes left and right with ease.   Mercer Island HS - RPI: 18 - Record: 6-3 (4-2) - Mercer Island has been playing consistent throughout the season, losing some tough games to some really good squads. [player_tooltip player_id='2086712' first='Tristen' last='Cruzen'], [player_tooltip player_id='1588003' first='Syver' last='Lanctot'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2156173' first='Nick' last='Mautone'] lead a fairly experienced team who look to make a run.   Lake Washington HS - RPI: 31 - Record: 9-5 (4-3) - Lake Washington is a team in my eyes that could really surprise people as we get into the latter half of the season. Ki'yen Martin and [player_tooltip player_id='1685495' first='Mateo' last='Cummings'] are just a few players making an impact for the team.   Other Teams: Hazen HS - 4-8 (2-5), Interlake HS - 7-6 (1-5), Juanita HS - 4-10 (0-7)   NPSL 3A Conference:   Auburn HS - RPI: 7 - Record 13-1 (4-0) - [player_tooltip player_id='1451033' first='Jaylen' last='Petty'] just keeps getting better each and every week and is the type of player who is able to carry his team to the win in any game. Their one loss came to Ironwood HS (AZ), one of the top 5A schools in the Arizona.   Todd Beamer HS - RPI: 13 - Record: 11-1 (3-1) - This team is filled with juniors and seniors who are able to provide a lot of experience on the court. They beat a tough Graham-Kapowsin and Federal Way squads and are a team that can surprise some people.   Auburn Mountainview HS - RPI: 40 - Record: 7-4 (3-1) - They have lost some tough ones they wish they could get back but the Lions have a very talented roster so they will be contenders throughout the season. [player_tooltip player_id='1315366' first='Lucas' last='McClendon'], Sebastian Aruis, and Elijah Biard are some guys who can play off each other well and elevate their fellow teammates games on the court.   Other Teams: Kent-Meridian HS - 5-6 (3-1), Thomas Jefferson HS - 1-7 (1-3), Auburn Riverside HS - 1-8 (1-4), Kentlake HS - 0-13 (0-5)

As the season begins the second half of the year, meaning league play begins and games begin to mean a lot more to teams. For this article, I will be taking a look into the 3A class and see which teams are sitting on top of each conference standings and which teams are potential favorites to play deep into the state tournament.