Schedule
Thursday’s Games
At the SunDome in Yakima
Lynden Christian vs. Naches Valley, 3:45 p.m.
Castle Rock vs. Zillah, 5:30 p.m.
King’s Way Christian vs. Vashon Island, 7:15 p.m.
La Salle vs. King’s, 9 p.m.
Tickets
Adults—$12 per day, $28 for an all-tournament pass; seniors and students with ASB cards—$10 and $23; children 5 and younger—free.
Players to watch
Justin Dunsmore, Zillah: The senior led the Leopards to the state championship last season. With the ability to shoot from the outside and score inside, Dunsmore is a difficult defensive assignment for any player. He has helped lead the Leopards to their 23-1 record and a No. 1-ranking entering Thursday’s 1A quarterfinal against Castle Rock.
Kienan Walter, King’s Way Christian: The junior has averaged 23.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and two assists per game for the Knights, who enter Thursday’s quarterfinal game against Vashon Island with a record of 19-6. The Knights were tied with Riverside for 10th in the final 1A Associated Press poll of the season.
Jessie Norton, Vashon Island: The senior averages 20.2 points per game for the Pirates, who enter Thursday’s quartefinal game against King’s Way Christian with a record of 22-1. Their only loss of the season came by one point on Dec. 30 to Alaska’s Dimond High School. The Pirates were ranked third in the final AP poll of the season.
Cody Fransen, Lynden Christian: The senior is one of two Lynden Christian players averaging more than 16 points per game. Fransen leads the way averaging 16.5 and junior Zach Roetcisoender is right behind averaging 16.4 per contest. Fransen and Roetcisoender have led the Lyncs to a 16-8 record so far this season and a No. 6-ranking in the final AP poll of the season.
Brock Johnson, Castle Rock: The junior is averaging 19 points and 4.5 rebounds per game for the Rockets, who face No. 1-ranked Zillah in Thursday’s state quartefinals.
The Favorite: King’s
King’s finished second in the final AP Class 1A poll of the season, just three points behind No. 1 Zillah. Those same two teams met in last year’s 1A state championship game and the Leopards won a close one. This year, the Knights come into the tournament with one loss and after the entire team walked away from its recent bus crash with only minor injuries, King’s appears to be this season’s team of destiny.
The Herald predicts …
King’s and Zillah battle for the title again, this time King’s wins the championship in a game that goes down to the wire.
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