Richland boys, Kamiakin and Sunnyside girls ready for state at Tacoma Dome

Get your Egg McMuffins ready, because the Richland High School boys basketball team will be announcing the Mid-Columbia’s presence at the Hardwood Classic in Tacoma bright and early.

Eastern Washington conference champs will collide as the No. 11 Bombers (19-5, won the MCC) face No. 3 Davis (19-4, won the Big 9) at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome in the 12-team tournament’s tip-off game.

The winner will play No. 4 Federal Way (24-2) at 9 a.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals.

Richland beat No. 14 Moses Lake 84-58 to advance to the round of 12.

Unlike in past years, the losers of the first-round games will not get to play in a consolation bracket. Once a team makes it to the quarterfinals, it is guaranteed to play at least until Friday. Quarterfinal losers compete in the fourth/sixth-place bracket, and the semifinal losers play in the third/fifth-place game.

In the girls’ 4A bracket, No. 4 Sunnyside (19-3) will face No. 12 Auburn Riverside (20-6) at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday. The winner plays No. 3 Glacier Peak (22-1) at 7:15 p.m. Thursday.

Because they beat No. 2 Gig Harbor in their regional matchup Saturday, the No. 7 Kamiakin Braves (23-1) get a bye into the quarterfinals of the 3A girls tournament. They will play the winner of No. 9 Bethel (20-5) vs. No. 8 Mercer Island (21-6), at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Here’s a look at the other local teams competing around the state this week:

IN YAKIMA

Following a thrilling overtime win over Seattle Christian in loser-out regional action, the No. 10 Columbia-Burbank girls (23-1) will try to keep their momentum going against No. 7 La Center (22-0) at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Yakima SunDome in the 1A girls bracket. The winner faces No. 1 Cashmere (23-0, and also the top 1A RPI team in the state) at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

The Prosser boys erupted onto the state basketball scene when they upset two-time defending 2A state champion Clarkston in their glue-crossover matchup, and continued to dazzle when they topped Centralia 73-58 in the state regional. The No. 15 Mustangs (15-9) will again be tested when they face No. 7 Wapato (16-6) — which beat Prosser twice in the regular season — at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. The winner faces No. 8 Olympic (19-6) — which upset No. 1 Lynden 56-47 in the regional — at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

In 1A boys action, No. 7 Warden (17-7) will play No. 10 King’s Way Christian (15-10) at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. No. 1 Freeman (22-1) awaits the winner in Thursday’s quarterfinal for a 5:30 p.m. tip.

The No. 9 Prosser girls (19-4) pulled away late to top No. 16 Franklin Pierce in their regional game, and will play the Wednesday nightcap against No. 8 Archbishop Murphy (18-4) with tip-off set for 9 p.m. The winner plays No. 2 W.F. West (20-4) at 9 p.m. Thursday.

IN SPOKANE

Mabton will face EWAC foe and conference champ Dayton in the opening round of the 2B girls tournament at 9 p.m. Wednesday. The No. 9 Vikings (17-6) and No. 1 Bulldogs (19-3) split their regular season series.

The winner will face No. 2 Wahkiakum (23-1) at 9 p.m. Thursday.

This story was originally published February 28, 2017 at 9:04 PM with the headline "Richland boys, Kamiakin and Sunnyside girls ready for state at Tacoma Dome."