3A Regional Weekend Takeaways
The WIAA hardwood classic got underway this past weekend, with enticing matchups across the board. There was surprise, dominance, and heartbreak and This is what we can take away from it all. Rainier Beach is still worth your respect. …
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Continue ReadingThe WIAA hardwood classic got underway this past weekend, with enticing matchups across the board. There was surprise, dominance, and heartbreak and This is what we can take away from it all.
Rainier Beach is still worth your respect.
Beach may not be the caliber of team that many have grown used to seeing over the years, and after the loss of talents like Marjon Beauchamp and Jamon Kemp, a falling out was certainly expected. However, as usual, the beachboys are right back in contention. They are led by Senior guard John Hart, who has been a reliable, versatile and dynamic scorer capable of turning on his ability at a moment’s notice and Against Lincoln this weekend he put on a scoring display. With additional veteran talents like Yahye Osman and Hamza Mohaba, Beach is experienced and ready to give teams problems, just like they did in an earlier matchup with title contender and rival Garfield.
Wilson is primed for an upset
If there is any team that has been criminally slept on, it is Woodrow Wilson High School. Coming in as a 2 seed, Wilson is hungry for a run in the tournament, and despite a loss in a regional battle against O’Dea, they showed how capable they are. They are lead by one of the most severely underrated guards in Washington, Damani Green. Green is a shifty ball handler with a keen scoring instinct and averaged nearly 20 points on the season. He, along with a gritty, talented team, put up an impressive fight against an O’Dea team that was projected to blow them out, and the game was never truly out of reach. If they can maintain this intensity, they are poised to be a contender.
The 3A division is anything but sure
All season long, three top teams have remained in contention for the top spot, Garfield, O’Dea, and Eastside Catholic. Each Team is stacked with talents, Garfield’s duo of all-state big men in Tari Eason and Kendall Munson has been dominant all season long, and as versatile as any team. O’Dea and their sheer talent is undeniable, all-American forward Paolo Banchero is capable of single-handedly dominating any team, and has no lack of support with offensive weapons like John Cristofolis. Eastside Catholic’s depth of talent has made them one of the most formidable teams in the tournament, and has facilitated their success all season long with top-tier Junior guards Nolan Hickman and Jaylen Nowell, as well as some often-overlooked talents such as offensive weapon Syon Blackmon and bully-ball specialist J.T. Tuimoloau. But the 3A division doesn’t end with its top contenders, the aforementioned Wilson High School and Rainier Beach are highly formidable opponents, and 8 seed Mt. Spokane with experienced big Tyson Degenhart are ready to make the same splash they did last year. All season long, the 3A division has been competitive, talented and entertaining, the hardwood classic should be no exception.