Washington (WIAA) 1A high school girls basketball state tournament: 2024 predictions, top players

After four grueling days of basketball at the Yakima Valley SunDome this week, somebody will be dancing with the big WIAA gold ball Saturday night.

Nooksack Valley returns as the defending state champion, but a host of contending hopefuls are waiting for their shot.

Here are SBLive WA's teams and players to watch, and round-by-round predictions - complete with a championship-game pick.

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CLASS 1A TOURNAMENT (Bracket)

(Wednesday first-round games in Yakima)

G1: No. 11 Montesano (16-9) vs. No. 6 Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls (19-5), 3:45 p.m. (Winner plays No. 5 Wapato at 3:45 p.m. Thursday)

G2: No. 10 Seattle Academy (15-9) vs. No. 7 Bellevue Christian (22-2), 5:30 p.m. (Winner plays No. 1 Nooksack Valley at 5:30 p.m. Thursday)

G3: No. 13 Eatonville (16-5) vs. No. 4 King's (16-10), 7:15 p.m. (Winner plays No. 3 Lynden Christian at 7:15 p.m. Thursday)

G4: No. 9 Cashmere (19-5) vs. No. 8 Toppenish (16-9), 9 p.m. (Winner plays No. 2 Deer Park at 9 p.m. Thursday)

Semifinals Friday: 7:15 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Championship game Saturday: 9 p.m.

FAVORITE: Nooksack Valley

Shane Wichers' group finally got over the Lynden Christian hump last march to win the WIAA title. Now, the Pioneers play like they are the team to beat - disciplined, hard-nosed and with star power in PG Devin Coppinger.

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FAB FIVE

G Kaleo Anderson, King's, soph. (22.0 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3.3 apg)

G Ashlan Bryant, Deer Park, fr. (16.0 ppg, 4.0 apg, 5,0 steals)

G Devin Coppinger, Nooksack Valley, sr. (22.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.8 apg)

G Grace Hintz, Lynden Christian, jr. (13.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg)

G Deets Parrish, Wapato, soph. (17.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 4.5 apg)

PLAYER TO WATCH: Devin Coppinger, Nooksack Valley

A case can be made that the UW signee is the most complete player in Washington. She can score. Her perimeter shooting is vastly improved. She defends. And she might the best rebounding guard in decades.

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PREDICTIONS

First-round picks:

Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls over Montesano

Bellevue Christian over Seattle Academy

King's over Eatonville

Toppenish over Cashmere

Quarterfinal picks:

Wapato over Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls

Nooksack Valley over Bellevue Christian

Lynden Christian over King's

Deer Park over Toppenish

Semifinal picks:

Nooksack Valley over Wapato

Lynden Christian over Deer Park

Championship pick:

Nooksack Valley 63, Lynden Christian 55

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