Fourteen Mid-Columbia teams ready for state high school basketball tournaments

There could have been more teams when you think about who didn’t make the cut from last week’s high school district basketball tournaments.

The Grandview boys, who played in the state 2A title game last year and were ranked among the top teams in the state all season, lost out in a district crossover game.

Kamiakin’s girls are also among the state’s best 4A teams. But with just two state berths available and four deserving teams — Chiawana, Gonzaga Prep, Kamiakin and Mead — someone wasn’t going to make the cut.

Or what about Kennewick’s boys? The Lions just had a tough final week and missed out on the 3A state tournament.

There are still some very talented local squads — both boys and girls — who could win state titles.

It all really gets going this weekend with games at various sites.

By the way, there’s plenty of basketball to watch this weekend at Art Dawald Gymnasium at Richland High School.

There was a doubleheader on Friday. The marquee game that night featured the Chiawana girls.

On Saturday, there are five contests at Dawald, starting at noon and running every two hours — finishing with the Richland boys at 8 p.m.

Check the games below for the entire schedule. Meanwhile, here’s what we got:

4A boys

Richland saw its 22-game win streak snapped last week, when host Gonzaga Prep beat the Bombers 65-61 in the District 6 championship game in Spokane.

The state seeding committee was watching this game closely, since Prep and Richland entered the game ranked 1 and 2, respectively, in Class 4A Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).

Had the Bombers won, they might have likely been the top seed into the 4A state tournament. Instead, the Bullpups got the No. 1 ranking. Richland got No. 4.

Richland had to beat Mead on Saturday to even get into the big dance. The Bombers did, winning 76-67.

That means a home game this weekend, and the Bombers will face No. 5 Camas — a team that visited Richland two years ago early in the regular season.

Bombers head coach Earl Streufert will look to the two juniors who have done the most damage this season — Landen Northrop and Lance Horntvedt — to lead the way in the postseason.

Next game: (5) Camas (20-5) at (4) Richland (23-1), 8 p.m., Saturday, March 1, Richland High School.

What’s at stake: Winner advances to the Thursday quarterfinals in the Tacoma Dome, while the loser gets to play in a loser-out game on Wednesday in Tacoma.

4A girls

Last week, Chiawana went on the road and beat Mead 73-63 to win the District 6 championship game.

That meant that the Riverhawks, after a number of close calls the last few seasons, finally get to show the rest of the state what they can do in the spotlight.

Fans have to be exceptionally happy for senior standouts Malia Ruud and Kaia Foster, who will get to play on the Tacoma Dome floor.

Chiawana head coach Gary Jonas will expect Ruud (headed to Washington State) and Foster (New Mexico) to lead this squad.

The Riverhawks lost their season opener to visiting 2A power Prosser by a 76-67 score. They haven’t lost since, rolling off 22 consecutive victories.

Chiawana got a No. 3 seed from the state committee, and it got the spotlight Friday night at Art Dawald Gym in Richland, playing No. 6 Auburn (itself riding a 5-game win streak).

(6) Auburn (19-6) vs. (3) Chiawana (22-1)

What’s at stake: A state quarterfinal bid next Thursday in the Tacoma Dome for the winner; the loser still goes to Tacoma to play a loser-out game on Wednesday.

3A boys

No area teams qualified for state.

3A girls

Daron Santo knows how to coach. And let’s be honest. His Kennewick girls know how to play.

At 17-6, the Lions’s losses have been two each to Chiawana, No. 1-ranked Central Valley, and a Kamiakin team that’s good enough to be in the 4A state tournament.

Those two losses to CV were by 11 points in each game. But neither game was decided until the fourth quarter.

What’s more, Kennewick is doing a lot of its winning without star Dylyn Dress, who was injured a month ago in practice and is out.

So it makes sense that the state committee gave the Lions a No. 7 seed, meaning they’ll play in the Tacoma Dome no matter what.

Next game: (7) Kennewick (17-6) vs. (2) North Thurston (26-1), 2 p.m., Saturday, March 1, University of Puget Sound.

What’s at stake: Winner is in the Tacoma Dome for the quarterfinals next Thursday, loser is still alive for a Wednesday loser-out game in the Dome.

2A boys

Toby Cox’s Prosser boys had to win a crossover game against Pullman last Saturday to get into the state tournament, beating the Greyhounds 72-57.

That’s great for Yakima Valley fans, who get to see senior Koby McClure still play.

But to get to the Yakima Valley SunDome, the Mustangs will have to take down a pesky Ridgefield Spudders squad.

Next game: (15) Ridgefield (15-8) vs. (10) Prosser (19-7), 6 p.m., Saturday, March 1, Richland High School.

What’s at stake: Winner gets to go to the SunDome and play a loser-out game on Wednesday; loser is out.

2A girls

Prosser’s girls had to win a crossover playoff on Saturday, beating Clarkston 68-43 to get into the state tournament.

State seeding committee members were impressed enough with the Mustangs that they made them a No. 6 seed.

Considering Prosser’s body of work — which includes a win over 4A power Chiawana, as well as three losses to 2A standout Ellensburg and one to 4A Woodinville — it makes sense to guarantee them a game in the Yakima Valley SunDome.

Prosser was set to take on No. 3 Deer Park Friday.

(6) Prosser (21-4) vs. (3) Deer Park (23-0)

What’s at stake: Winner is in the quarterfinals on Thursday in Yakima; loser plays a loser-out game there on Wednesday.

1A boys

And you thought Royal was just good at football.

The Knights earned the No. 2 seed after rallying back to beat Zillah in last week’s District 5 championship game.

Now Greg Jenks’ Knights were set to take on a Meridian team Friday, trying to get to the state quarterfinals.

(7) Meridian (17-7) vs. (2) Royal (23-1)

What’s at stake: Winner will play in the state quarterfinals on Thursday in the Yakima Valley SunDome, while the loser gets a second chance in a loser-out game Wednesday in Yakima.

1A girls

No area teams qualified for the state tournament.

2B boys

Todd Schumacher’s Columbia-Burbank Coyotes earned the tournament’s top seed after going 23-1 so far.

Burbank’s lone loss this season occurred at the Yakima SunDome on Jan. 3, as the Coyotes fell 73-60 to Class 2A Selah in a game that saw C-B senior Quincy Scott hurt his shoulder.

But since that loss, Burbank has rolled off 13 consecutive victories, including an easy 63-48 District 5 title game win over Lake Roosevelt last Saturday. And Scott is healthy.

Next game: (8) Northwest Christian-Colbert (18-7) vs. (1) Columbia-Burbank (23-1), 4 p.m., Saturday, March 1, Richland High School.

What’s at stake: Winner advances to next Thursday quarterfinals in the Spokane Arena; loser plays a loser-out game in the same arena on Wednesday.

▪ Meanwhile, Tri-Cities Prep qualified for the same state tournament. The Jaguars, a No. 12 seed, will take on No. 13 Rainier in a loser-out game on Saturday.

Prep has a 20-5 record, and when you realize that three of their losses are to No. 1 Burbank and another to No. 4 Colfax, it’s hard to imagine that first-year head coach Isaac Nelson’s Jags didn’t get a higher seeding.

Next game: (13) Rainier (15-10) vs. (12) Tri-Cities Prep (20-5), 12 p.m., Saturday, March 1, Richland High School.

What’s at stake: Winner advances to a loser-out game Wednesday in the Spokane Arena; loser has its season end.

2B girls

The Eastern Washington Athletic Conference’s East Division is sending three of its teams into the state tournament battles, with all three contests winner-to-state, loser-out games.

Let’s start with the Mabton Vikings, who made quite an impression at last year’s state tourney by going 2-2 and placing sixth.

Head coach Charles Smith saw his team battle all season against Columbia-Burbank — and the two teams shared regular-season honors by tying for first in the standings.

Burbank, however, got the top seed into the EWAC tourney by a tiebreaker. So the Vikings had to survive a few loser-out games to get here.

Next game: (16) La Conner (13-11) vs. (9) Mabton (22-4), 10 a.m., Saturday, March 1, Davis High School.

What’s at stake: Winner advances to the Spokane Arena for a Wednesday loser-out game; loser is out.

▪ Bailey Newell’s Columbia-Burbank Coyotes have lost three in a row, which might explain their seeding at No. 11.

Still, Burbank’s body of work displays an impressive 17-7 record.

Next game: (14) Mossyrock (12-11) vs. (11) Columbia-Burbank (17-7), 2 p.m., Saturday, March 1, Richland High School.

What’s at stake: Winner gets a loser-out Wednesday game at the Spokane Arena, while loser’s season is over.

▪ Michael Vowels’ Tri-Cities Prep squad has had an up and down season, evident with the Jaguars’ 13-12 record.

But Prep has reeled off three straight post-season victories to get where it is, which is a battle in Cheney on Saturday.

Next game: (13) Tri-Cities Prep (13-12) vs. (12) Colfax (13-13), 6 p.m., Saturday, March 1, Cheney High School.

What’s at stake: Winner earns a Wednesday, loser-out game at the Spokane Arena; loser’s season is over.

1B boys

Eric Wood’s DeSales Irish team has been the class of the Southeast 1B league all season, reeling off 22 consecutive wins before losing 61-50 to Almira Coulee Hartline at the district tournament last Saturday.

Still, DeSales did enough to earn a No. 4 seed and a first-round game close to home.

The Irish were set to face an 18-4 Neah Bay team Friday, marking the second time in three years the Red Devils have to make the long trip to Richland.

(5) Neah Bay (18-4) vs. (4) DeSales (22-2)

What’s at stake: Winner advances to the Thursday quarterfinals in the Spokane Arena, while the loser must play a loser-out game on Wednesday in the same facility.

▪ Sunnyside Christian was given a 13 seed, and the Knights had to play a state play-in game on Tuesday against No. 20 Waterville-Mansfield. SSC won that game 59-36.

First-year head coach Henry Bosma took to the road Friday to play Garfield-Palouse, a team the Knights lost 64-32 in the league tournament a few weeks ago.

(13) Sunnyside Christian (18-8) vs. (12) Garfield-Palouse (17-6)

What’s at stake: winner advances to Wednesday’s loser-out game in Spokane Arena, while the loser’s season is over.

1B girls

Sunnyside Christian gets to play close to home on Saturday after qualifying through the District 9 tournament.

Knights head coach Stormee Van Belle led her team to a 19-5 record, but was given an 11 seed.

Next game: (14) Almira Coulee Hartline (15-11) vs. (11) Sunnyside Christian (19-5), 4 p.m., Saturday, March 1, Davis High School.

What’s at stake: A win means advancing to the loser-out Wednesday games in Spokane Arena. A loss means the season ends.

This story was originally published February 27, 2025 at 11:57 AM.