MaxPreps 2013-14 Washington preseason girls basketball Fab 5

Click here to see the girls basketball preseason Fab 5 from every state

1. Mt. Rainier (Des Moines)
2012-13 record: 27-2
Head coach: Bob Bolam

Stanford-bound Brittany McPhee is not particularly tall (though she’s 6 feet tall), and not particularly strong (though she’s strong enough). She doesn’t make a lot of outside shots, but somehow she gets 27 points a game despite defenses stacked against her. Six-foot junior Emily Fiso heads a strong supporting cast as Mt. Rainier sets out to avenge a one-point loss in the 2013 4A semifinals.

2. Cleveland (Seattle)
2012-13 record: 27-2, 3A state champions

There’s not much to choose between Cleveland and Mt. Rainier, as both return plenty of firepower from top Washington teams. But Mt. Rainier plays in a higher division, so the quick, aggressive Eagles slide to number two — but not by much.

3. Gonzaga Prep (Spokane)
2012-13 record: 25-4

Laura Stockton is a sophomore, and yes, she’s the daughter of John Stockton, the all-time NBA leader in assists. She is, however, not the only star for Gonzaga Prep, which is the strongest team in Spokane — at least from the preseason perspective – and Spokane teams have been consistently some of the best in the state.

4. Inglemoor (Kenmore)
2012-13 record: 22-4

Six-foot-four junior Deja Strother averaged 14.3 points and 9.4 rebounds for Inglemoor last year, and as her conditioning improves, she just gets better and better. She has soft hands and inside skills, and junior Jordana Price is ready to step up at the point and get Strother the ball.

5. Chiawana (Pasco)
2012-13 record: 15-8

In between a slow start (1-4) and slower finish (0-4), Chiawana ran off 14 straight wins, and the Riverhawks expect to build on that middle streak rather than dwell on the start and the finish. There’s plenty of talent on hand and a return to statewide prominence would hardly be a surprise.