River View boys basketball team finds its way back to state tournament

The last time the River View boys basketball team made it to the state tournament was in 2008.

That season, head coach Roger Sonderland led the Panthers to a second-place finish, losing in the Class 1A title game 53-48 to Charles Wright.

Josh Stacy, a 2002 graduate of River View High School, was an assistant coach that season.

On Saturday, the Panthers play a Class 1A state regional game against Bellevue Christian at 12 p.m., at Richland High School.

River View (21-2) is a No. 4 seed, meaning it will also qualify for the Class 1A state tournament, which begins March 4 at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

It’s a place that Stacy wasn’t quite sure last summer that this Panthers team would end up.

“We had a few glimpses,” said Stacy. “But a lot of the guys worked hard on coming together.”

One of the things Stacy dropped this year was the 2-3 defensive zone that Sonderland’s teams always used, in favor of a high pressure, in-your-face, man-to-man defense.

“That’s been our strength,” said Stacy, only in his second season as a head coach. “We’ve been holding most teams in the regular season to around 50 points a game.”

And players have stepped up.

Trevor Rogers has run the offense at point guard, while Bio Mendoza has been effective out on the wing.

But it’s Will Bailey and Tyler Bussell who have been a devastating 1-2 punch this season.

Both are seniors. Bailey is 6-4, while Bussell is 6-5.

Bailey was named the SCAC East MVP last week, while Bussell was a first-team player “and he got some votes for MVP,” said Stacy.

Bellevue Christian (17-5) counters with three players at 6-4 or 6-5.

“They like to get into the half court set,” said Stacy. “I’m hoping our defensive pressure gives them problems.”

1A girls

Warden meets King’s at 12 p.m. Saturday at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake.

Both teams already qualify for the state 1A tournament that begins next Wednesday in Yakima.

King’s (18-7) is led by standout Junior Claire Gallagher.

But Warden (22-1) counters with a tough trio – SCAC East co-Player of the Year and sophomore Kiana Rios; and two SCAC East first-teamers in senior Brecka Erdmann and sophomore Jaryn Madsen.

2A boys

Prosser takes on Clover Park any 4 p.m. Saturday at Richland High.

It’s a winner-to-state, loser-out game, contest. So it should be pretty intense, said Mustangs coach Toby Cox.

“Bring it,” he said. “Make sure when you walk off the court that you’ve left everything out there.”

That’s what Prosser has done all season, going 18-7 in a very tough CWAC conference.

Junior Haden Hicks has been the star, and was named first team all-CWAC.

But it wasn’t just him who has gotten the Mustangs this far. There were games where other teammates, such as seniors Calvin Maljaars and Saul Quinones, stepped up to take control.

“I just like these guys’ effort,” said Cox. “We think we’re faster and stronger than the rest of the CWAC. And when the kids are dialed in and have great effort it’s a fun thing to watch.”

Clover Park (13-10) is led by Raymon Martin, who averages 19 points and 9 rebounds a game.

2B girls

Columbia-Burbank enters state regional play as a No. 7 seed, meaning the Coyotes qualify for at least one day at the state tournament next week at the Spokane Arena.

Jay Aune’s girls will get up really early Saturday morning and travel to the Northwest corner of the state to Mt. Vernon, where they’ll take on No. 2 La Conner at 4 p.m.

The winner earns a bye into the second round of the state 2B tournament on Thursday, March 5, while the loser plays a loser-out contest on Wednesday, March 4.

“I can’t say I know a whole lot about (La Conner),” said Aune. “They have a little bit of size and some length. They like to press.”

The Coyotes (21-3) have come close to going to the state tournament the last few years.

So when they beat Liberty Bell 59-46 last weekend in a crossover game to qualify for the state regional, “there was a lot of relief for everybody,” said Aune.

The Coyotes are led by Jennifer Jacobo, who averages around 18 points a game, and Jadyn Johnson and her 12.5 points a game.

Johnson was named the EWAC Eastern Division MVP last week.

La Conner is 20-2.

• Joe Mackey had a lot of faith in his Tri-Cities Prep girls.

Last March, the Jaguars won the state Class 2B state title. But when standout Talia von Oelhoffen transferred after the season to Chiawana, it took away a lot of firepower from the Jaguars’ arsenal.

No matter, Prep has found a way back to state, carrying a 19-5 record, with McKenna Martinez averaging 15 points a game, and Emily Dickson and Makenna Brandner 9 each.

“I know going into this season they could get back to Spokane,” said Mackey. “They just had to prove it to themselves.”

They’ve done it on the defensive end, giving up no more than 33 points in any of their last nine games.

“Our defensive play has stepped up,” said Mackey. “Our zone D, with our length, means we can contest almost every opponents’ shot.”

The Jags will be tested at 4 p.m. Saturday at West Valley High School in Spokane, where No. 8 seed Prep will play top-seeded Liberty of Spangle (22-1).

The Lancers, who beat Prep 66-38 back in early December, are led by senior Maisie Burnham. She averages 23 points and 10 rebounds, and will play next year at Eastern Washington University.

Teammate Aleena Cook adds 13 points and 7 rebounds a game.

1B boys

Sunnyside Christian is the defending state champ, but it took a lot of hard work for head coach Dean Wagenaar for him, his staff and players to get back to the post season.

Sitting at 14-10, the Knights are led by Tyler Groenweg on the court.

They’ll face an Almira Coulee Hartline team (15-8) at 8 p.m. Friday at Wenatchee High School in a winner-to-state, loser-out contest.

ACH is led by sophomore Reece Isaak, who averages 18 points and 12.3 rebounds, and senior Chase Gerard’s 13.7 points a game.

This story was originally published February 28, 2020 at 5:00 AM.