Top West Coast basketball programs set to tangle at WIBCA Scholastic June D1 showcase

Andy Harrington has a good thing going at Owyhee High School in Idaho - and has no problem showcasing the talented boys basketball team he's built in the two seasons the school has been open.

He'll get another opportunity this weekend at WIBCA's 2023 June Scholastic D1 Event - an open-viewing event for college coaches.

Owyhee will be one of 56 West Coast teams playing games in a round-robin format - with at least one proven college-bound standout to its name.

The event will take place Saturday and Sunday at Bellevue College and Mount Si and Issaquah High Schools (matchups and schedules can be found here).

Owyhee, the 2021-22 IHSAA 5A champion, is one of the better-regarded programs expected to participate. The Storm has one of the best shooting guards on the West Coast in to-be senior Liam Campbell, a returning all-state player. 

But emerging 6-foot-7 Jackson Rasmussen is back, and will be a junior. And point guard Logan Haustveit, an all-state performer as a ninth grader for Mountain View last season, is also in the fold.

Harrington said this group is the "most talented team I've had in six years" of high school coaching.

"We are super excited," Harrington said. "We are used to playing high-level teams ... and we want to put our guys in front of those coaches."

It's also a nice warm-up to the Section 7 Event - June 23-25 in Glendale, Arizona.

Other top teams in WIBCA field:

ARIZONA

Sunnyslope: Viks won a Class 5A title in 2021, a Class 6A title in 2022 - and nearly captured the AIA Open Division championship last season, losing to touted Perry in the finals. Team is led by three well-regarded class-of-2026 recruits - John Mattingly, Rider Portela and Cristian Simmons.

Basha: The 2017 state champions are also expected to see better days moving forward. Sophomore-to-be Mason Magee is one of the better playmaking guards in the state, and forward Elijah Summers-Livingston is a defensive stopper.

OREGON

Tualatin: While West Linn got all the shine, the Timberwolves finished the season with the big gold ball - and back-to-back Class 6A championships. They are the heavy favorites for the three-peat, led by four-star senior prospect Jaden Steppe, a versatile 6-foot-8 forward, and combo guard Jemai Lake.

UTAH

Corner Canyon: Dominated the state a year ago by going 25-2 and finishing the season on a 20-game winning streak by winning the Class 6A title. Standout guards Max Toombs and Jaxson Roberts graduated, but team has 6-foot-7 forward Brody Kozlowski back as double-double machine who can fling it from 3-point arc.

Lehi: Made unexpected quiet exit from Class 5A playoffs last winter, but return a pair of all-state players in guard Cooper Lewis - one of the top scorers in the state - and forward Grayson Brousseau, who is a key cog at tight end for the returning state championship football team.

WASHINGTON

Garfield: Bulldogs sped away with Class 3A title last March, and have dynamic duo returning with guards Legend Smiley and Ajayi Simmons, who transferred from Renton in the offseason. 

Richland: On paper, this is the best returning team in Class 4A, led by 6-foot-8 forward Lucas Westerfield, a game-changer at the rim, and two-sport standout Josh Woodard running the point.

Mount Si: Always in the mix, the Wildcats won Class 4A titles in 2019 and 2020 - and reached the state semifinals in March. Backcourt duo of Blake Forrest and Trevor Hennig as good as there is in Washington.

Mount Spokane: The reigning 4A/3A Greater Spokane League champions will still be major factors. Class-of-2024 guard Ryan Lafferty can score on anybody, and Santa Clara baseball commit Andrew Rayment is ready to break out.