Road to Yakima: Washington high school (WIAA) Class 1A state boys basketball preview
The 2022-23 WIAA basketball season is down to its final week, and the 12 remaining Class 1A boys basketball programs are set to face off in the Yakima Valley SunDome.
First-round games tip off Wednesday morning and the tournament runs through championship games Saturday night. Here is SBLive’s tournament preview – with players to watch, team favorites, schedules and championship game predictions:
COVERAGE REWIND
Get acquainted with the field through SBLive's coverage from throughout the 2022-23 season.
- Top stars, best performances in WIAA regional basketball playoff round
- SBLive’s final Washington high school boys basketball power rankings, by classification (Feb.21)
- 3 Washington high school (WIAA) regional boys basketball games you should not have missed
WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE
G1: No. 14 Seton Catholic vs. No. 6 Toppenish, 3:45 p.m.
Winner plays No. 4 Freeman in Thursday quarterfinals, 3:45 p.m.
G2: No. 10 Seattle Academy gets No. 2 Zillah, 5:30 p.m.
Winner plays No. 1 Lynden Christian in Thursday quarterfinals, 5:30 p.m.
G3: No. 12 King’s Way Christian vs. No. 5 King’s, 7:15 p.m.
Winner plays No. 3 Annie Wright in Thursday quarterfinals, 7:15 p.m.
G4: No. 16 Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) vs. No 8 Overlake, 9 p.m.
Winner plays No. 7 Blaine in Thursday quarterfinals, 9 p.m.
State semifinals Friday: 7:15 and 9 p.m.
State championship Saturday: 5 p.m.
8 PLAYERS TO WATCH
G Cam Hiatt, King’s, soph. (21.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.3 steals)
G/F Martin Kaupanger, Annie Wright, soph. (13.5 ppg, 6 rpg, 2.9 apg)
G Carson Lehnert, Blaine, sr. (14 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 apg)
G Luke Navarre, Zillah, sr. (19.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.7 apg)
G Boen Phelps, Freeman, sr. (21.8 ppg)
F Shane Rivera, Toppenish, sr. (18.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.4 steals)
F Jake Shuey, Overlake, sr. (15 ppg, 9 rpg, 4 apg)
G Tyler Sipma, Lynden Christian, sr. (16.4 ppg, 5.2 rbg, 5.9 apg)
THE FAVORITE
Top-seeded Lynden Christian is back to defend its championship with just two returning starters – Tyler Sipma and Griffin Dykstra – but with 6-foot-6 junior forward Jeremiah Wright developing into a force in the post, the Lyncs are aiming at their third title in the past five tournaments. Fellow Northwest Conference member Blaine did Lynden Christian no favors, however, upsetting No. 2 Zillah and WIBCA Player of the Year Luke Navarre in the regional round to set up a possible quarterfinal between the Lyncs and Lions. Should that matchup happen and LC prevail, they again could well be cutting down the SunDome nets.
THE FIELD
Seventh-seeded Blaine shook up the tournament Saturday night by toppling No. 2 Zillah in regional action at Davis High School in Yakima. That leaves three of the top-four seeded teams in the top half of the bracket. Freeman senior Boen Phelps guided the Scotties football team into the semifinals and will try to lead the basketball squad on a similar run. Going by seedings, things set up well for No. 3 Annie Wright, the third-year program which fell a win short of a trophy last year in its first state trip. The Gators and standout sophomore Martin Kaupanger could face 2022 runner-up and fifth-seeded King’s in the quarterfinals. The Knights feature their own star 10th-grader in guard Cam Hiatt, an all-tourney pick last year.
FINAL FOUR PREDICTION
Freeman, Lynden Christian, Annie Wright, Blaine
CHAMPIONSHIP PICK
Lynden Christian 71, Annie Wright 60
