4A Tournament Power Rankings (#9-16)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We keep it going with our 4A tournament Power Rankings, as we now move on to our final eight teams in the tournament. As I stated in the previous article, this tournament has some teams further down who can make a serious run. So, pay attention to these teams and stay tuned for another great March.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">9. West Valley (Yakima) 17-5 (11-1) RPI #6</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>District 5 Champions, Big 9 League Champions, #6 Seed</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Next Game: Glacier Peak</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After starting the season 3-5, with tough losses to Gonzaga Prep (66-57), Davis (67-62), and Mount Spokane (79-74), the Rams have really turned things around, winning their last 14 games including two get-back games against Davis, a win over 3A Bellevue, and a win over 2A Bremerton. With [player_tooltip player_id='1450996' first='Landen' last='Birley'] leading the charge, these Rams have a chance on any night. Then you factor in the big man with the soft touch ([player_tooltip player_id='1587955' first='Parker' last='Mills']), and you see how this team can exploit matchups and force teams to focus on covering the entire floor. Freshman sensation [player_tooltip player_id='2473468' first='Austin' last='Birley'] is an up-and-coming star who already shows great poise handling point duties and a smooth offensive game. These guys are another squad showcasing the depth of talent at this year's tournament, and pose an awesome matchup tonight against Glacier Peak and [player_tooltip player_id='1450981' first='Josiah' last='Lee'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">10. Kentwood 19-6 (10-4) RPI #11</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>District 3/4 Qualifier, #11 Seed</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Next Game: Arlington</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kentwood placed fourth at last year's tournament and has virtually the same team back except for shooter <strong>Blake Stempniak</strong>. They are also the lone team in Washington to beat Glacier Peak this season, and they do it with three main guys. Strong guards [player_tooltip player_id='1450991' first='Corey' last='Tita'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1587994' first='Mason' last='St Louis'] are key scorers who get it done in different ways. Tita is a downhill demon with shiftiness and strength who's also been turning it up on the defensive end. St Louis is a key perimeter shooter for them who also plays big on the glass. Point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1863193' first='Brandon' last='Tagle'] is a smooth facilitator and scorer who continues to elevate his game. Their next game against Arlington will give viewers a top-tier point guard matchup as Tagle gets to go up against [player_tooltip player_id='1451025' first='Leyton' last='Martin'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">11. Emerald Ridge 19-7 (12-4) RPI #16</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>District 3/4 Qualifier, #13 Seed</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Next Game: Lake Washington</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even though the Jags come in at number 11 on this power ranking and the 13-seed in the tournament, they have shown they can play with some of the top squads throughout the season. They took one of three games against Puyllup (a 65-52 win) and split the season series with Olympia. They head up to Lake Washington tonight to face the Kangs on their home court in what should be a back-and-forth matchup. One guy who could put them over the top is junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1863251' first='Jamaize' last='McGriff']. He's the kind of athlete at 6-foot-6 who can dominate a game, scoring, rebounding, and simply by drawing enough attention from the defense to make it open season for his teammates. Guards [player_tooltip player_id='2307291' first='Mychal' last='Turner'], [player_tooltip player_id='1863250' first='Jordan' last='Bennett'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1485658' first='Isaac' last='Norris'] will all get their looks. Turner is the bigger guard of the three who can turn up the pace and make plays. Bennett is the point guard who will lock down opposing guards and has been a proven crunch-time performer. And Norris is herky-jerky, strong guard who can shoot the long-ball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">12. Arlington 18-7 (10-2) RPI #14</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>District 1/2 Qualifier, #14 Seed</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Next Game: Kentwood</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Arlington has one of the top players in the tournament in [player_tooltip player_id='1451025' first='Leyton' last='Martin'], who puts up some of the biggest stat lines on a consistent basis. He's a clever guard with eyes in the back of his head and makes his whole team better. The rest of the team is anchored by shooting and defense. It's a gritty bunch that will go to battle against anyone, and having big man [player_tooltip player_id='2717117' first='Billy' last='Kooy'] inside to bang opposing bigs is a bit of an underrated factor for this team. He's a thick, strong kid who shows surprisingly nimble feet, and in the right matchup, he can go to work for long stretches. While the Eagles are just 3-6 against state tournament qualifiers (4A, 3A, and 1A), they do have key wins over Lincoln (Tacoma) and Lynden Christian. And when it comes to [player_tooltip player_id='1451025' first='Leyton' last='Martin'] at the state tournament, you can't rule anything out. This will be a great game against Kentwood on Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">13. Davis 20-3 (11-1) RPI #7</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>District 5 Runner-Up, #9 Seed</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Next Game: Woodinville</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Davis comes in with a phenomenal record and the seventh-best RPI, but one of the biggest sticking points for me keeping them so low is their lack of size. Their tallest starter is just 6-foot-3, and they have only two guys above that on the rest of the roster (6-foot-4 and 6-foot-5). While they have one of the most prolific scorers in the state with [player_tooltip player_id='1450999' first='Cesar' last='Hernandez'], and a couple of other sharpshooters in [player_tooltip player_id='2021602' first='Damian' last='Pimentel'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1850304' first='Tyson' last='Lee'], it's hard to see how they can overcome a lack of size and depth. Hernandez has shown how he can fight through exotic coverages to not only get shots to go but use that extra attention to dime up teammates. The three of these guards also have the guile to create turnovers on the defensive end, and if teams can't stop Hernandez from getting his game off, then this Davis team has a shot at some upsets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">14. Lake Washington 19-7 (9-1) RPI #13</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>District 1/2 Qualifier, Kingco Crest League Champions, #12 Seed</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Next Game: Emerald Ridge</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a balanced group with various skillsets that come together to make a formidable team. Guards [player_tooltip player_id='2144895' first='Jayden' last='Hunt'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2205055' first='Matthew' last='Adeeb'] tag-team to run their offense. Adeeb is more of a set up man, while Hunt can set guys up or take on a large scoring role. Wing [player_tooltip player_id='2563232' first='Matei' last='Olteanu'] is a lefty slasher who can contribute on the glass and score in the paint. And 6-foot-5 [player_tooltip player_id='1685495' first='Mateo' last='Cummings'] could be their real x-factor as one of the best 3-point threats in the entire tournament. They played Mount Si tough till the end of their district matchup and then went on to crush North Creek 70-39.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">15. North Creek 14-10 (5-6) RPI #24</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>District 1/2 Qualifier, #15 Seed</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Next Game: Olympia</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>North Creek has two wins over Woodinville this season, but other than that, not a ton of key wins. However, they have 6-foot-10 [player_tooltip player_id='2021596' first='Carter' last='Cohen'], one of the most dynamic players when he is on. He is not only a big body by the rim, but he has also displayed one of the smoother 3-point shots over the course of the season. Deciding how to defend him will be a profound decision for teams facing off against the Jags. They also have two quick, pesky guards, <strong>Christiano Bonicillio</strong> and <strong>Paolo Bonicillio</strong>. The pair score well enough to draw attention away from Cohen and can frustrate opposing guards with their quick hands and opportunistic defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">16. Woodinville 13-14 (6-6) RPI #25</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>District 1/2 Qualifier, #16 Seed</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Next Game: Davis</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The lone team below .500 entering the tournament, Woodinville has had an up and down season, summed up pretty well by their last two games: a 60-30 loss to Glacier Peak and a 71-55 win over Arlington. First-team all-league guard [player_tooltip player_id='1631563' first='Liam' last='Kelly'] sets the tone for this squad. He's a solid all-around guard who has flourished as a leader, scoring inside and out and playing with a great engine on both ends. They have two other guys who earned honorable mention all-league status, [player_tooltip player_id='1685501' first='Luke' last='Unruh'] and <strong>Neil Chaudhari</strong>, who will help carry the load with some length, scoring, and tough rebounding.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->