Will the Class 3A state basketball tournament cease to be the Metro League Invitational?
A school from the Seattle league has won eight straight state championships and 11 of the last 13.
No. 1 Enumclaw (24-0) is the top candidate to break the Metro's string as the state tournament begins on Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome. No. 2 Rainier Beach (22-3) is the most likely to carry the Metro's mantle. Defending champ Franklin (15-12) and O'Dea (20-7) are other Metro teams in the tournament.
In the girls tournament, No. 1 Holy Names Academy (22-3) and No. 2 Kennedy Catholic (21-3) seem set to meet in the state title game. The boys bracket is
here, and the girls bracket is here. 
Joshua Smith, Kentwood
File photo by Dennis Lee
2. Smith brings title to Kentwood: Joshua Smith is one of the top-rated big-man prospects in the nation. The 6-foot-9 UCLA-bound center is leaving Kentwood as the Class 4A state champion after leading the Conquerors (20-10) past Jackson (23-5) in the title game, 67-58 in the Tacoma Dome. Smith had 22 points, 16 rebounds and five assists in the title game. Jackson shocked No. 1 and nationally ranked Federal Way in the semifinals. The Eagles, the defending state champs, finished third. The Auburn-Riverside girls completed an undefeated season (29-0) by beating Mead of Spokane in the title game, 56-52. It's the third state title for the nationally ranked Ravens in four years.
3. Cougars cruise in title game: Cascade Christian (24-4) of Puyallup jumped out to a 29-8 at halftime and cruised to the Class 1A state tournament title over Meridian (19-8) 45-35 in Yakima. The Freeman Scotties (26-1) blasted Granger (24-2) in the girls title game, 56-35.
4. Pe Ell wins state B title: At the Class 2B state tournament at the Spokane Arena, Pe Ell (20-4), ranked seventh headed into the tournament, beat Liberty Christian (21-3) in the boys title game, 66-41. Colfax (26-3) repeated as girls champs, beating LaSalle (23-3) in the title game, 52-43. It's the seventh state title for Colfax (five at the 1A level) since 1999.
5. Class 2A tournament hits Yakima: Squalicum (22-1) won last year's Class 2A state championship and is the favorite to win another as the tournament begins Wednesday at the Yakima SunDome. The girls tournament could be wide open. No. 1 River Ridge (22-1) and No. 2 West Valley (Spokane) (22-0) are the favorites, but No. 4 Archbishop Murphy (21-2) enters the tourney with a 21-game winning streak. The boys tournament bracket is
here. The girls bracket is here.
Top performers
Mercedes Wetmore (Auburn-Riverside basketball): The Washington-bound senior was named Class 4A tournament MVP.
Cody Shackett (Cascade Christian basketball): Was named Class 1A state tournament MVP after scoring 22 points and adding seven steals in the title game.
Korina Baker (Freeman basketball): Was named Class 1A girls state tournament MVP after a 12-point, four-steal performance in the title game.
Hank Robinson (Pe Ell basketball): Earned Class 2B state tournament boys MVP after scoring 20 points and nine rebounds in the title game.
Kayla Johnson (Colfax basketball): Johnson earned her second straight Class 2B state tournament MVP after scoring 19 points in the title game.
Upcoming events
The Class 3A and 2A state tournament mark the final week of the winter basketball tournaments. It also marks the first week of spring sports as several teams begin to play Friday and Saturday.
Nate’s notes
Every year there’s talk about how the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, the state’s governing body of high school sports, will change the state tournament. Consolation bracket games draw terribly in venues that charge costly sums for rent. These tournaments are major revenue makers that the WIAA uses, in part, to fund championships for sports that aren’t big revenue makers.
I hope the state tournaments are left alone. The consolation bracket allows teams to settle trophies down to the top eight. Only handing out champion and runner-up trophies (or even down fourth place) seems incomplete. And going to a regional format, as has been discussed, takes away from the atmosphere of a 16-team tournament. Only having eight teams at state doesn’t seem like much of a tournament.
Nathan Joyce has covered high school sports in Washington for 12 years. He currently works at the Kitsap Sun in Bremerton.
