Washington 1B boys basketball 2020 state tournament bracket breakdown: Schedules, storylines, players to watch, predictions
Here’s an overview of the WIAA state high school Class 1B boys basketball tournament taking place Wednesday-Saturday at the Spokane Arena:
WEDNESDAY GAMES (winner to Thursday quarterfinals, loser out)
No. 11 Garfield-Palouse (17-7) vs. No. 6 Muckleshoot Tribal School (19-8), 9 a.m.
Winner: Plays No. 5 Naselle (18-6), 9 a.m. Thursday
No. 10 Almira-Coulee-Hartline (16-8) vs. No. 7 Rainier Christian (20-7), 10:30 a.m.
Winner: Plays No. 1 Odessa (24-0), 10:30 a.m. Thursday
No. 13 Selkirk (16-8) vs. No. 4 Riverside Christian (20-2), 12:15 p.m.
Winner: Plays No. 3 Lummi Nation (25-3), 12:15 p.m. Thursday
No. 9 Taholah (19-3) vs. No. 8 Oakesdale (15-8), 2 p.m.
Winner: Plays No. 2 Yakama Nation Tribal (21-2), 2 p.m. Thursday
THREE STORYLINES
Class 1B story of the year: Bryan and Bryce Strom, the latest 1,000-point scorers in a family full of them, are aiming to lead Yakama Nation Tribal to its first state championship in program history. After losing to Sunnyside Christian last season, the Eagles enter as the 2-seed and knocked out that same program in the district title game. Read the full story here.
Lummi’s Caleb Revey has been a consistent leader. Can he lead a young group to glory?
Revey is a four-year varsity contributor, and his Blackhawks are in as good a position as they’ve been in his four years entering with a first round bye. As a freshman, was a part of a team that lost in the state championship to Sunnyside Christian. He helped Lummi (25-3) get back to state last year, but was knocked out in the first round by Riverside Christian.
Can Ryan Moffett bring Odessa its first basketball state title?
Moffett’s name will forever be etched in the record books after he became the state’s all-time scoring leader last month. Now can the prolific senior guard deliver on the top-seeded Tigers’ ultimate goal, winning a 1B title? He certainly has the pieces around him who know a thing or two about winning. Nearly everyone played on the football team that won a back-to-back state football championship in the fall — by a landslide.
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
F Tyran Lane, Lummi Nation, soph.
G Bryce Strom, Yakama Tribal, sr.
F Reece Isaak, Almira-Coulee-Hartline, sop.
G/F Matthew Hockett, Oakesdale, sr.
G Ryan Moffett, Odessa, sr.
FIRST-ROUND GAME TO KEEP AN EYE ON
No. 10 Almira-Coulee-Hartline vs. No. 7 Rainier Christian: After knocking out three-time defending state champion Sunnyside Christian in the regional round, 55-51, ACH takes on a Rainier Christian team that gave 2-seed Yakama Nation Tribal its most competitive game since Jan. 28, when the Eagles beat— guess who? — ACH by 10. The winner of this game has undefeated 1-seed Odessa waiting for it in a Thursday quarterfinal.
PREDICTIONS
First-round games
Garfield-Palouse 47, Muckleshoot Tribal 44
Almira-Coulee-Hartline 69, Rainier Christian 61
Riverside Christian 62, Selkirk 50
Taholah 65, Oakesdale 58
Quarterfinal games
Naselle 58, Garfield-Palouse 44
Odessa 72, Almira-Coulee-Hartline 62
Lummi Nation 78, Riverside Christian 66
Yakama Nation Tribal 68, Taholah 59
Semifinal games
Odessa 78, Naselle 73
Yakama Tribal 70, Lummi Nation 63
Championship game
Odessa 74, Yakama Tribal 63
TICKETS
Daily: $16.50 for adults, and $13.50 for students/senior citizens (Wed.-Fri.) $17.50 for adults, $14.50 for students/senior citizens. (Sat.)
Weeklong: $39.50 for adults, $31.50 for students/senior citizens (Thu-Sat.). $51.50 for adults, $40.50 for students/senior citizens (Wed.-Sat.)
