WIAA State Tournament Top Performers So Far
Two days into the 4A/3A State Tournament there has been some pretty good individual performances from players across all teams. Prep Hoops has been present at (lost count) boys games in this tourney from 9am-9pm and came away impressed with the following performances:
2019 6’5 SG RaeQuan Battle (Marysville-Pilchuck) – The UW signee was extremely impressive in the game vs. O’Dea. He single-handedly kept Marysville in the game with the heavily favored O’Dea squad. He finished with 24 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks. He also spent time guarding O’Dea’s 6’9 star forward, as well as their 6’4 perimeter performer. He was all over the floor and made his presence felt. If Marysville starts off the game a little stronger, the result may have been different, but RaeQuan was fun to watch nonetheless.
2020 6’8 PF Kendall Munson (Puyallup) – The California transfer has impressed in his first showing at the Tacoma Dome. He played well on day two scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, leading Puyallup to victory over Union. The thing I have been most impressed with about Kendall is his level-headedness, coachability and consistent work ethic. Missed shots, missed calls, or bad plays by teammates do not phase him. Munson just keeps on playing and doing his best to help his team win. He is one of the top 3 rebounders in the entire tournament that I have seen.
2021 6’9 F Paolo Banchero (O’Dea HS) – The super sophomore plays beyond his years. In the quarterfinal game versus Marysville, he had a strong double-double with 19 and 10. He was 11-14 from the line and drew many fouls in the post, using a mixture of skill and strength. O’Dea looks to be a strong contender to win it all, behind Banchero’s efforts.
2020 6’6 SG Marjon Beauchamp (Rainier Beach HS) – After a slow start in the first half versus Kelso, Marjon was back to his dominant ways in the third quarter. His length made it so easy for him to finish at the rim and he started to make some outside shots. The star junior finished with 21 points for the Vikings.
2020 6’5 CG Jabe Mullins (Mt. Si HS) – The KingCo MVP did not have a huge statistical performance, but he did little things to help his team outlast Puyallup in the quarterfinals. He finished with 13 points and 3 steals, but it was his post defense on Puyallup’s Kendall Munson that was most impressive. He collected a block, forced travel and multiple contested shots in the paint, while also doing his best to keep the 6’8 forward off the glass.
2020 6’8 F Tari Eason (Federal Way HS) – The springy forward was all over the court making plays in Federal Way’s blowout win over Richland. He scored 22 points and collected 7 rebounds, plus 5 steals. Tari has always been a good player, but his game is really making strides at the right time and he has Federal Way right back in the hunt for a 4A State Title.
2019 6’5 W Shaw Anderson (Kelso HS) – The Seattle Pacific signee was a matchup issue for Rainier Beach. He has good strength and a well-rounded skill set. The star of Kelso finished with 21 points, giving The Vikings a scare. He will be up against Capital at 2pm in the consolation bracket today.
2019 6’9 SF Jaden McDaniels (Federal Way HS) – The 5-star recruit looked the part in the quarterfinals. He finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and 1 block. His all around impact on the game was even more so, with his superior bounce and length altering countless shot attempts. Next up will be the semis versus their cross-state rival, Gonzaga Prep.
2019 6’8 PF Anton Watson (Gonzaga Prep HS) – The Gonzaga signee was completely dominant in his first game in the T-Dome this year. In the victory over Kentridge, Anton had 22 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks. As mentioned above, the long-awaited G-Prep versus Federal Way matchup is going down tonight!
2019 6’4 SG Zack Paulsen (Curtis HS) – Paulsen is headed to Seattle Pacific and he showed why, as he did a little bit of everything for the Vikings in their win over Union. His stat line included 22 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists. Playing on an obvious hurt ankle, he willed his team to victory and hit the game clinching free throws at the end.
Photo credit: Sniper Kwam